Life Lessons I Learned From Bones

In case you aren’t familiar with it, Bones is a medical/crime show centered around the character of Temperance Brennan, a forensic anthropologist, who studies the bones of the dead to solve crime.  The show is inspired by Kathy Reichs’s Temperance Brennan novels.  The show is quite different from the novels, but no less good.  I began watching it several years ago.  In fact, I didn’t even like the first episode I watched!  I’d read the books and was curious, but the episode did not move me.  Then, some time later, I was looking for things for my Christmas List and decided to give it another shot.  And I loved it.  I loved it so much that I bought and watched the subsequent seasons until I was caught up, then began watching it live.

For any Bones fans – what I’m about to talk about contains MAJOR spoilers up till last week’s episode.  Read at your own risk.

Last week, the two main characters, Temperance “Bones” Brennan and Agent Seely Booth of the FBI tied the knot.  This was HUGE, as the two characters had been dancing around the idea of getting married for ages.  (Or what seems like ages).  They were foiled by the season’s Big Bad, Pelant, who manipulated Booth into breaking off their engagement (which was also a long time coming) by threatening to kill innocents if Booth didn’t break off the engagement and/or if he told Brennan the truth as to why.  (And the guy is seriously connected to everything and would undoubtly know if Booth confessed).  So we got this whole push-pull, brokenhearted drama and the question was: when would they be able to get married?

So, they found (and took out) Pelant and got married.  It was a beautiful ceremony.  I cried. (Naturally).  And I was elated for them.  (And yes, I realize they are fictional.  Allow me my moment, k?)

So, what did I learn from this?

1) Opposites really do attract.  Booth and Brennan are opposites in almost every single way, but they make it work through respect and patience and ingenuity.  I love them together.  I was reminded of my own husband, who is quite the opposite of me.  He’s into sports and fishing and camping; I’m into writing and artsy stuff; he’s Catholic and I’m Lutheran; he’s very down-to-earth and practical and I’ve got my head in the clouds; he’s a morning person and a coffee drinker; I am a night owl and I wouldn’t touch coffee with a ten-foot pole. (I’m a Coke Zero girl).  But, amazingly, we make our marriage work.  He’s gotten me into bowling and through him, I rediscovered my love of camping.  And he has actually read my chapbooks and my novel!  Even though he’s not a reader!  I’ve exposed him to different things with the idea of expanding his horizons.  And, naturally, we respect each other and try to stay open-minded to the other’s ideas and passions.

2) Good things come to those who wait.  Booth and Brennan, like us faithful fans, had waited 8 years for their wedding.  That’s a long time. There were moments when it seemed absolutely hopeless.  There were beautiful moments.  Moments where I was thinking, “C’mon, just elope already!”  But it happened at the right time.  Same with life.  I waited thirty years to find my husband.  I’d been married before but that marriage ended in divorce, and I believed at one time that I’d never find my true love.  Well, imagine my surprise when my husband walked into my life not long after my divorce was final and swept me off my feet!  Also, it took me ten years to get good enough at writing to consider self-pubbing.  Ten years of blood, sweat, and tears.  Ten years of doubts, and worries, and frustration.  That’s not even counting all the drafts I did of various novels.  Or my physical issues (wrist tendonitis and a severely painful eye).  Or that I’ve always worked full time, and I at one point had two jobs.  Yeah.  Self-pubbing Fey Touched  in 2011 was a long time coming, too.

3) Carpe diem: seize the day.  Live life to the fullest.  Or, as I always say, “Live each day as if it were your last.” (Ironically, that was my profile header on the personals website where I found my hubby).  There was an intern who was killed tragically while at work, Dr. Nigel Vincent Murray.  His life ended unexpectedly and tragically, and the entire team had a lovely memorial for him.  But think of this: what was he planning to do with the rest of his life?  Had he accomplished his goals?  Was he looking forward to a vacation or an experience in the future?  Was he finished leaving his legacy?

I have to say, probably not.  And that’s the case with most unexpected deaths, I would think.  I can certainly say, “well, gee, I’d love to visit Ireland before I die” and have full intentions of doing that, but crap, what if I die in a car accident tomorrow?  No Ireland for me.  (What I should do is go immediately, but alas, money woes!)  I guess that’s a bad example.  But that book writing thing that I’ve wanted to do since I learned how to write? DONE.  In 2011.  Fey Touched.  I’m constantly setting goals for myself, anyway.  But if I died tomorrow, did I leave a legacy?  I think I did.  I hope I did. 

But anyway…live each moment as if it were your last.  Embrace life. Enjoy life.  Seek out new adventures, new things to try, because well – there may not be time “later” to do it.  All the time you might have is now.  So use it wisely.

And yes, I’m being morbid, but I’m a big fan of being realistic.  I will die one day.  Might as well figure out what’s most important, right?

Wow.  I am really morbid today.  Sorry about that.

So, in addition to hours of laughter and tears, the show Bones has — and continues to — teach me new things about life.

If you haven’t checked out Bones, I suggest you do.  It’s an amazing series. (But if you’re squicked out by blood and guts and skeletons? Best skip it.  My husband can’t stand it…another way we’re opposites.)

Carpe diem, folks.  Carpe Diem.