Shameless

I love the show Shameless.  So much about this show resonates with me.  It reminds me of the places I have lived, the people I have known, the way I know life actually works.

I never would have seen life the way I see it, if my father would have loved me, and Pam had never come into my life.  Ignorance is truly bliss.  If my father had loved me, and if he had loved my mom enough to not get involved with Pam, I would not be who I am.  I have no idea how I might have turned out.  This is a part of life that is so bizarre and real, but also heartbreaking.  If people can truly love their spouses and their offspring, those offspring can have a much better chance at a good start in life. 

I just rewatched season 7, episode 12, of Shameless.  Monica, the mother of the Gallagher kids, has passed.  This is probably my favorite Shameless episode.  During brief moments throughout this episode, there are moments where Monica's humanity is spoken about.  Her failures are glaring and obvious.  Her failures created hell for her offspring.  But she is still a human, who felt love, and did the best she could under her circumstances.

I hope my own offspring always know I did the best I could for them, with what I knew at the time.  It wasn't perfect.  But my focus was always on them.

I am horrified by most of what I see going on in my country, and in this world.  I have very little hope for humanity, because we seem to be bent on hurting each other.  But I am very proud of my kids, and my grandson.  They have overcome my history, and that makes me think most humans still have the potential to become better than we are right now.