A lot has been and will be said about the last few months of Guiding Light and its cancellation. Regardless of what the ending is, it will be bittersweet to me as there are very few things in media that have spanned generations. This entry is not about what could have been versus what actually was, where and why it went wrong, and ultimately who is to blame. That said this is not going to be a sonnet of praise to the powers that be, a treatise on the "death of the daytime serial"or how the serialized format is used in other genres. Any of these topics would be fine for discussion, but I do not feel the need today, not with the last of taping being this week. This is more about coping with the end.
Whether you became interested in the show through your family, friends or just happened upon on it, something about GL caught your imagination and perhaps your heart. The amount of people, whose lives were touched by the program, doesn't suddenly get erased due to cancellation. Do we stop loving family or friends who we may no longer see due to circumstance or have passed away? I don’t think so.
I can't unmeet the people I've met, unshed the tears that I've cried or take back the laughs that I've expressed. When something makes a long-lasting impact, it persists whether it is obvious or remains just below the surface. These are things I've learned from watching Guiding Light and nothing and no one can eliminate that.
People still love programs that have been off the air for decades, they create websites, they write stories, meet others who share their interest and go to events with the stars to this day. Who is to say that GL cannot continue on in that manner for years to come? And even if it does not, memories cannot be erased and relationships made due the show will not disappear in a finger snap.
So while the show ending may be bittersweet, the fact that we were able to love it (or some elements of it), for weeks, months, years or whatever your case may be, is the most beautiful part. Not everyone gets the chance to adore something in this manner, so that may have been the biggest miracle of all.
I wish those who have been involved with the show past or present could understand what it is like for those of us in the viewing community. I bet some do understand, but it is our loss just as it is theirs, and we watch or have watched because we do care. Our loyalty grew based on the emotional investment we made in the denizens of
Springfield. For some members of the audience, GL is more than just daily escape or a respite from doing chores, but provided comfort and a sense of continuity in this crazy world.
Guiding Light may no longer be on the air in a few short weeks, but it continues to live on in those who have been touched by the show. This is my truth, and I make no apologies for it. Goodbye Guiding Light, you may no longer produce any new episodes, but your impact will not be forgotten.
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