Luke and Laura and the Ghost of Christmas Past

And the never-too-late wisdom to seeing things differently.

Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash.

Boomer friends, don't be ashamed to admit it. We're all friends here. If you grew up in the 1970s and 80s, you were likely obsessed with a soap opera called “General Hospital.”

Your mom had the TV on when you got home from school, and you knew you were not permitted to change the channel. On the screen, an epic romance unfolded, capturing the attention of a whole nation.

Luke and Laura were a huge deal back then.

At college, students avoided scheduling classes during the three o'clock hour so they could see GH. Friday afternoon episodes always ended with a cliffhanger, which made Monday's show must-see TV. To whip up the frenzy, the steamy on-screen chemistry between beautiful Laura and bad boy Luke mesmerized the audience, especially a young person like me.

Despite the gloomy sets, painted-on makeup, and contrived dialogue, I was a super fan. My teenage hormones raged, and I could not get enough. But were Luke and Laura the stuff of fairy tales?

Hardly.

Their relationship started with Luke raping Laura.

Lots of relationships have rocky fits and starts, but the rape became the basis of a lengthy love affair.

Red flags, anyone?

This despicable event did not taint my fervor or negate my impression of the power couple. As a viewer, I got over it quickly. After all, why not let bygones be bygones, right? I needed more, more, more.

I rooted for Luke and Laura to get married, and so did everyone else.

I wonder, though--would rape be accepted as the basis for a celebrated relationship today? I want to say no, but the way things are going for women's rights, I'm not so sure.

Today I understand rape as a much more pervasive, underreported, and horrifying act. Yet, since the GH days, society hasn't changed its perception of assault against women as quickly as it should, continuing to treat women as expendable, as Kate Cox's case in Texas recently highlighted.

Reminders of my youthful naivete surfaced recently when I saw a local theater production of the musical, "Scrooge." The Ghost of Christmas Past reminded an embittered, crusty old Scrooge of his days as a romantic and exuberant young man.

I started out starry-eyed and exuberant, too, until life handed me my share of disappointments and worry. My idealism didn't have a chance in hell as my job quickly stomped it out, favoring instead risk avoidance and maximizing earnings.

I was on a downward spiral that looked like this:

Idealism ➡️ Realism ➡️ Perfectionism ➡️Pessimism ➡️ Fatalism

What a hella slide down and a recipe for a miserable life. Thankfully, I climbed out of the pit of hopelessness and powerlessness, but not without first a smattering of cosmic fairy dust and help from some friends. Leaving an 18-year marriage and the only religion I knew spawned radical personal shifts. I also credit my light-beam children with escorting me into new ways of being.

The changes were substantial and dramatic, so much so that I'm almost back to being myself again.

I have changed a lot, and I bet, dear reader, you have, too.

My mindset morphed from black-and-white thinking to something more nuanced. I thank God I'm not that pimply-faced teenager anymore, lacking in depth and discernment.

The Ghost of Christmas Past informs the Ghost of Christmas Present and Future but does not define them.

Thank God for that. We can recover from our mistakes.

Change, like death, is inevitable and comes for all of us. As painful as it can be, individual change is vital to a more significant societal shift.

It really does start with us.

As 2024 enters, consider committing to your continued growth until the end. We will evolve anyway, so let's be intentional about it. Our world is hurting and needs our collective energy to promote peace and love.

Let’s put our best selves out into the cosmos this coming year.

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I will take a week off (maybe two) to prepare for the holiday. In the meantime, Happy Chanukah, Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanza, Blessed Winter Solstice, and the best of any and all the holidays you celebrate.

Peace and Love Always!

Let me know in the comments what you're celebrating this month (and if you are a Luke and Laura fan).