Why it’s ok to mourn the loss of the simple things in life
This month I was intending to write something entirely different but on Sunday 6th February my heart broke.
Now, the reason for this will most probably cause you to think I am being extremely melodramatic, and there are far more important things to get upset about (and I agree with you, there are!) however please hear me about before you judge me too hard!
The reason for my heartbreak was the news that Neighbours (yes, the TV programme) may be coming to an end due to being dropped by Channel 5 who provides the vast majority of it’s funding.
This news made me cry. At first I felt utterly ridiculous for how this news made me feel – it’s only a TV show right?
However, when I sat and thought about the reasons why it has caused such a reaction in me I realised that it’s actually helped me massively over the many years I have been watching it. It’s been around for the whole of my life and I haven’t missed an episode in years. In fact one of the best parts of coming back from a holiday is catching up with the episodes I missed while I was away!!
The truth is, we all have things that provide us with means of escapism and Neighbours is one of those things for me. But it has been even more than that at times. When my mental health has been at it’s lowest, Neighbours was one of the only things that I could concentrate on and it provided enough distraction to help me focus on something other than how I was feeling. During nights where I couldn’t sleep, Neighbours provided company in the wee small hours. Since then, even though I’m glad to say that I am in a much better place from a mental health point of view, it is still a valued part of my weekly routine. It’s a constant companion that provides a safe space to relax. The residents of Ramsey Street make me laugh, cry and at times, fill me with frustration - anyone else wish Paul Robinson would stop messing things up with Terese Willis so they can live happily ever after?!?!
So, at first I tried to laugh off how utterly gutted I was at the news that Neighbours may be no more but then, when I couldn’t shake my low mood, I decided to speak with a friend who I know has her own TV programme that she was desperately sad to lose. She said to me that when something provides such a relief from daily challenges and worries, it’s absolutely ok to mourn the loss of them. It’s important for us all to have things that transport us away and give us time during our weeks to unwind and check in with characters that you come to really love. These words struck me and I started to feel less ridiculous.
So the reason for this blog is to tell you that if you feel upset about something seemingly minor to others ending, it’s ok to allow yourself to feel those emotions and spend some time feeling sorry for yourself. Have a good cry when a favourite band split up, your beloved sports team is on the brink of extinction (as a Portsmouth FC supporter, I know this feeling!!) or, like me, when a soap opera or other TV programme that has provided you so many years of comfort viewing is faced with not being a part of your routine anymore. You are not ridiculous and you are allowed to love seemingly simple things and feel sad when they end, even when there are so many more important things in the world to feel sad about (and it doesn’t mean you feel any less sad about the more important things).
I’m going to remain hopeful that some other broadcaster swoops in to save the day and gives Neighbours a new home but if that doesn’t happen you can bet I will be balling my eyes out when that very last episode airs. And if you are feeling the same as me about something right now, don’t let anyone convince you that it is “just a TV show”, “just a pop band” or “just a football team”.
