This past month I've been obsessively catching up on the third and fourth seasons of Six Feet Under. I can't wait to see the fifth season. The last episode of the fourth season (spolier) ends with a conversation between a grown-up son and his dead father, as the son deals with the fallout of surviving a traumatic kidnapping and robbery, and as all the characters in their family have had to deal with abortion, difficulties in relationships, and loss. It's a conversation that helps me wrap my heart around some things floating in my head these days (see yesterday's post) in regards to hope, pain, possibility and thanks, keeping in mind Karen's thoughts on our culture telling us that we can be or have anything we want if we just dream or believe that we are special.
Father: The point's right in front of your face.Son: Well, I'm sorry but I don't see it.
Father: You're not even grateful, are ya?
Son: Grateful? For the worst fucking experience of my life?
Father: You hang onto your pain like it means something, like it's worth something. Well, let me tell ya, it's not worth shit. Let it go. (pause) Infinite possibilites and all he can do is whine.
Son: What am I supposed to do?
Father: What do you think? You can do anything, you lucky bastard, you're alive! (longer pause) What's a little pain compared to that?
Son: It can't be so simple.
Father: What if it is?
Just last year I watched the very first seaon of HBO's television series 