Beaver is 65. Kitten is 68. Joanie is broke and living in a trailer
park. Wally is a sculptor. Dennis is no longer a menace, counseling child
stars. Little Wednesday still lives on doing horror conventions. Buffy od’ed
at 18, and Arnold no longer asks “whatcha talkin about Willis?” And so it goes
with keeping up with friends we grew up with. They may not have lived next
door, but actually lived closer, as close as the TV in your living room, or in
the den. You grew up with them, struggled with them, cried and laughed with and
for them, and stood by them like no other friends you would ever have. A one
way relationship, where you could see and hear them, but they never could see
you. But yet somehow you communicated with them and they understood your needs,
for they were kids too. And all came from good homes, Dad worked, no record of
unemployment in the idyllic fifties and sixties, we watched as Herman went off
to the funeral parlor everyday, Ward, old man, went off to the salt mines with
Fred Rutherford, Dennis’s dad was an engineer at Trask Engineering, and good old
Mr. Wilson was retired. Kitten’s dad knew he best policies at home and work, he
sold insurance. And Gomez Addams was the consummate family man, doting on both
children, spoiling them with taratulas, and even buying a zoo for Pugsley. Even
Opie finally put on some shoes and made millions in the movies-directing and
producing them. But some like Buffy couldn’t stand reality, no Mr. French to be
there for her, and drugs killed her. Eddie Munster was a druggie, as was
Kitten, even the best parents can have screwed up kids, and Danny and Willis
both turned to drugs, and did jail time. Probably closer to real life than they
ever intended to be, just like friends we knew and know-or are. But as I look
back, and wonder, where are they now, it is more fun to wonder, how did they get
there?
Beaver will always be the Beaver, even in real life it has
followed him. Wally was Wally up until a few years ago. But along the way we
all grow up, get jobs, real jobs, not like on TV, and have to deal with real
life that isn’t seen from inside a cathode ray tube. We must make decisions on
work, home, family, and saying no to drugs and alcohol. And the girl next door,
and the newest sport bike. It seems life for many has interrupted our plans, or
in some cases negated them all together, but in many ways made them better than
our dreams, even than our friends on TV. Talking with a friend at church I used
to work with, I realized I have known him over 20 years, he used to be skinny
and dark haired, I used to be skinny. But we now both have families, and mine
are working on having families of their own, his are young. And looking back if
you had asked either one of us where we would be today, I know the answers would
conflict with real life. No one plans to lose their job, get sick, have cancer,
or have kids who do drugs. We certainly don’t plan for having to raise our
grandchildren because our kids are too screwed up...that only happens on TV
shows today, not to us. But I look at moments in my life that could have gone
either way, and see the grace of God there despite my bad decisions. Never
leaving me, but hanging on to me despite all odds. Better than any TV show, or
TV friend, our relationship is two way, not just looking or talking to Him, He
answers. We converse, and the talks we have no Hollywood script writer could
dream up. For no one has an imagination like God, nor can use all the resources
God has to love us. For a relationship with Him is not cancelled after 13
weeks, or scheduled for reruns, but an ongoing saga. And we can age gracefully
in Him, unlike the Cartwright boys-Adam went on to be Trapper John, MD, and lost
his hair, Hoss lost his life in surgery, and Little Joe raised kids while living
in a Little House on the Prairie. All far from the upbringing their patriarch
Ben gave them. Amazing how far you can go with a loving Father, with values,
and encouragement. Even with no mother to help, just like the Douglas boy of My
Three Sons, or no father like the Partridge Family. Not all were blessed like
Wally and the Beav, but despite our parents, or because of them, we are where we
are today.
The change in my life came at age 21 when I gave my heart to
Jesus, something not learned at home, school, or on TV. And despite my past, He
gave me a future, much to the surprise of me and those who knew me. And where I
am now is because of where He is in my lie-everyday. Better than a rich uncle,
I have access to the richest Jew in the world, and His Father. Better than a
scholarship to State, I have all the education I need, or will need from Him.
Better than the Dating Game, He had a family for me, and still does today. And
better than a brother in law with connections, He is the connection. Jesus is
the connection back to God, and to life, now what other person can promise that,
let alone deliver it?
So looking back, I wonder where many I knew are today. But I
ask myself, where am I now? And I ask you the same, so ask yourself, where are
you in Christ? Walking with Him, looking forward to His calling you home, or
still looking from behind a beer bottle, or windshield of a car you can’t
afford, seeking happiness, and emotion, when you can have joy, the presence of
God? Are you seeking or have you found? If you encounter a friend after 20
years, what can you say about where you are now? What will they say? I f you
have Jesus, you have much to talk about, and not just the past, for we have a
great future.
Looking back at so many child stars who have lost everything,
including fame, and never grew up, just got old, if only Arnold had listened
when Willis told him about Jesus. If only Kitten had listened to the advice and
stayed out of jail. If only Joanie had really loved Chachi, how would her life
have been different. For so many who had the advice of great TV fathers, never
took it. Real life interfered again with their plans....what is interfering
with yours? Do they include God? If not, what’s your excuse? Life is for the
living, are you getting the most from it, or are you living in the past, your
life a series of reruns on some low budget network?
When God asked Adam “where are you?” after he had sinned, He
knew just where Adam was. The question was did Adam. Do you? God knows just
where you are, and is waiting for that call. With a script with residuals that
goes on forever. Every season being renewed, just as we are in Christ. Where
are you now? Where is Jesus in your life? Make an old friend today, Father
still knows best. Don’t you agree?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com