During an episode of the TV series “Lost,” one of the best television series, Hurley, the big guy in need of a diet, told Jack: “You know what’s wrong? We’re just not having fun,” the best kick-in-the-ass comment made by any character in the series.
Jack, the medical doctor, the guy who always needed to be in control, the leader whom everyone relied on finally “got it.” In the midst of danger everywhere–from the jungle, the “others” on the Island, the lack of food, the over-extended plane trip with danger all around–Hurley decided to build a golf course and make life “fun” again.
Hurley is a Metaphor for Hope
Hurley, the guy you’d least expect to offer comfort, sensed the stress and dismay of those who survived the plane crash. He created hope for those lost on a strange island by “creating golf courses and hope on lost islands.” He realized that people in dire straights need to have “fun” to stay sane.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, followed by “black Friday,” the start of the Christmas shopping season. There’s a cold wind blowing in shopping centers and Santa is loading his sleigh this year with essentials he raided from Walmart. HD TV sets are off the gift lists this year. It’s time for extra blankets to warm us as we turn the thermostats down.
Watching shoppers in stores is like visiting a morgue. The smiles are well-hidden. The laughter hard to hear. The fear is palpable. The uncertainty everywhere. Hope is hard to find. It’s like being lost on Hurley’s island without a golf course in sight.
During these times of internal strife and anxiety, comfort yourself. And don’t forget to create your own mental golf course as you wander on lost islands. Fun and happiness are just beyond the next tree.
