Over the holidays, I enjoy streaming the Hallmark Channel in the background as I cook, wrap, and catch up on work. The movies are addictive and full of festive spirit, but they all follow one of the old fashioned otherworldly story lines:
-A Scrooge gets won over for the holidays by interacting with a true believer
-Characters have forgotten the real meaning of life getting too wrapped up in work until they come to their senses and realize nothing is more important than love and family
-Coupled with the wrong people, the leads realize they are unhappy trying to be someone they are not when they run into the “right” match
-Having been hurt in the past, one person is afraid to be vulnerable when the other player gets them to take a chance on love
When I saw a scene of women vying to get the good luck charm that predicted who would marry next, I realized these themes were probably outdated because we haven’t identified new myths to take their place.
Do we have to choose between work and family? Can you be dedicated to your career and also enjoy a great romantic relationship? Are people destined to be labeled as optimists or realists? Can we have it all? Is aspiring to have it all part of the problem?
I wonder if I have felt guilty and unfulfilled trying to live up to a fairy tale. What is the new ideal? Are we ready to let pipe dreams catch up with reality? Please share your thoughts.
