When Leonard Lauder said that if he spent a single day without learning, he would have wasted a day, he only emphasized that we can pick lessons from everything around us if we pay attention. In the show “Life in Pieces” we’re beginning to see a new era of family television that can serve as a real life model for parenting and family. If you have watched “Life In pieces” here are a few life lessons you might pick from the show:
1. Sometimes our plans will be thwarted
In the first episode of the first season, Colleen and Matt are trying hard to have some time together. When Colleen invites Matt into the house, Matt expects that they will be alone only to find that Chad, Colleen’s ex-fiancé, still lives with her. Matt, therefore, gets uncomfortable to see Chad crying as he watches them making out. Colleen is glad to hear Matt suggest they go to his house but there they find Matt’s parents.
That is life; you try so hard to meet your goal, but the curveballs life keeps dishing out only makes the journey difficult, but that does not mean we have to stop trying.
2. We have to make the best of every situation
Being in love is beautiful, and it leads to Colleen and Chad buying a house together, of course hoping to be together forever. Unfortunately, we learn that the wedding is off in the first episode, at least to Colleen it is, and they have to live together since neither can afford to move out, as Collen explains to Matt. Similarly, we are all hopeful that things work out for the best, but sometimes they do not so we are forced to make lemonade out of the lemons.
3. Life does not come with a manual
Jen and Greg are horrified about how to be good parents since it is their first time and Jen learns the terrible truth about giving birth. First of all, as she pushes during childbirth, she poops on the table, but the nurse tells her it is common. Jen is also warned not to look at her vagina, but she cannot help herself, so she looks and describes to it Greg as “the look of Predator when he takes off the mask.” Rarely are we prepared for some of the things we go through but then that is what makes life interesting. Imagine if we never made some of the mistakes we made; what funny stories would we have to tell?
4. Letting go can be difficult
As Tyler applies for college, his mother cannot believe he will soon be on his own as she reminisces about his childhood days. She treats him like a baby and goes as far as removing a speck on Tyler’s face with her saliva and carries a sandwich for him, just in case he gets hungry. There comes a time when we have to let go of people either because they are toxic in our lives or to allow them to spread their wings. It usually is a challenging decision, but in the end, it is worth it.
5. Appreciate people when they are alive
Ann Frank said that the dead receive more flowers than the living because regret is stronger than gratitude, as you can read on Medium, and John Short celebrates his birthday differently. On his birthday he hosts his funeral to get the sweet words on eulogies since his family is ever so busy they rarely have time to be together. He is so impressed with the milestones of his grandchildren and cannot help but announce that Tyler is applying to college, Holly got her first period, and Greg gave him his fourth grandchild. Life is too short not to make time for those people that matter to you. We should schedule family dinners and visit our friends often before we run out of time.
6. Learn to live with the consequences of our actions
Matt moves in with his parents but does not want to sleep in the garage because that would be more of a permanent arrangement. Therefore as he goes into the sitting room, he walks in on his parents having sex and it results in a family meeting. Matt decides to start sleeping in the garage-turned-bedroom but since his parents’ bedroom is above the room he still hears them having sex, and it is uncomfortable. In Physics we are taught that for every action there is a reaction and that applies in life too. Whatever you choose to do, you should be prepared to live with the consequences.
7. People will put up appearances to push an agenda
Matt is broke and has to lie to Colleen that his car is a vintage which he bought at an auction while in reality, his car is a piece of crap, as his father calls it. However, Matt has to pretend to be the better option for Colleen considering that she called off her engagement to Chad. He wants to make a good impression on his second date with Collen, and his father, therefore, uses tequila to have his car’s engine running again. When someone wants something from you, he will do anything to achieve the mission though we all know the truth finds its way out eventually.
8. Telling the truth is liberating
Colleen starts crying as she stands with Matt in the room she is paying for despite cancelling her wedding with Chad and tells Matt she is a broken mess and should not be in a relationship with anyone. Matt realizes that he was trying so hard to be perfect and also reveals that he is drowning in debt, his car is really on fire, and they have to be driven home by his mother. They are so happy to be imperfect yet perfect for each other. We keep trying to hide who we are so that we can fit in but fail to acknowledge that those who should be in our lives are they that that accept us as we are.
9. Some of those people we seek help from do not help us
Jen is desperate to breastfeed her baby, but she barely has any, so she seeks help from naturalists who have a weird way of helping Jen and Matt with their problem. Even after going through the channeling of energy ritual, Jen still does not have enough milk. Therefore, to avoid having Lark stay hungry, they buy formula which the naturalists try to get rid of saying they will not quit helping. We all need help sometimes and are glad to have someone offering but sometimes, the assistance they offer is not helpful at all, and you have to resort to looking for an alternative.
10. Love knows no boundaries
Lark starts crying in the middle of the night, and Jen notices they have run out of diapers, so she asks Greg to go to the store and get some because she was the one who bought them the last time. However, Greg says he knows for sure he is the one who bought the last diapers but to avoid Jen from having an emotional breakdown he goes to the store. Love is not about giving and expecting to be repaid; it instead is about giving our all even when recipients do not reciprocate.
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