The Hallmark Learning Curve
I love Hallmark Christmas Movies. The scenery is lovely, the decorating for christmas is over the top (and in my favourite colour red), the people are beautiful and you can be guaranteed of a happy ending. They are the perfect escape from reality.
I know, I know - they are hardly literary winners, the script is usually weak and the plots are simple. You always know how it will end, you just don't know exactly how they will get there.
But that's what I love about it, simple. It is not challenging to watch, just visually enjoyable and usually heartwarming, what's wrong with that?
Of course you must make sure you go into these movies with a strong dose of reality. Nobody's houses get decorated like that, few people are that pretty, and happy endings are hard to find. So make sure you don't compare your life to these unrealistic movies. They are strictly entertainment.
And yet despite the simplicity there are often lessons to learn if you want to learn.
Of course you must make sure you go into these movies with a strong dose of reality. Nobody's houses get decorated like that, few people are that pretty, and happy endings are hard to find. So make sure you don't compare your life to these unrealistic movies. They are strictly entertainment.
And yet despite the simplicity there are often lessons to learn if you want to learn.
There is always a little learning curve. The hero gains new perspective as she reflects on her past while her present is takes on a new shape, challenging her to rethink her life. The unexpected changes teach her something, and she embraces a future that she would not have imagined. She changes her mind about old ideas as the story unfolds.
And that is what I call a good story - when the main characters experience a change of heart, a new perspective as a result of the situations that are happening to them and the people who come into their lives.
Isn't that what we all want? To learn from our lives?
My depression would not make a Hallmark movie. It is not pretty enough and I don't have the energy to decorate like that! But it has taught me a lot. I have learned to live a simpler life without giving up the most important part - the people I love. I have more compassion for people's suffering and am a good listener to the hurting which makes me more useful than I used to be when I was running around keeping busy.
If you haven't indulged in your share of Hallmark movies yet, treat yourself to at least one. Enjoy the scenery and relax as you wait for your guaranteed happy ending to emerge!
WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? Do you enjoy Hallmark movies at Christmas? Do they cheer you up or bring you down?
Don't give up! There is hope for depression - even at Christmas.
Here is one Hallmark Christmas movie that I watched recently that was especially sweet to me.
And that is what I call a good story - when the main characters experience a change of heart, a new perspective as a result of the situations that are happening to them and the people who come into their lives.
Isn't that what we all want? To learn from our lives?
My depression would not make a Hallmark movie. It is not pretty enough and I don't have the energy to decorate like that! But it has taught me a lot. I have learned to live a simpler life without giving up the most important part - the people I love. I have more compassion for people's suffering and am a good listener to the hurting which makes me more useful than I used to be when I was running around keeping busy.
If you haven't indulged in your share of Hallmark movies yet, treat yourself to at least one. Enjoy the scenery and relax as you wait for your guaranteed happy ending to emerge!
WHAT ABOUT YOU? How are you feeling today? Do you enjoy Hallmark movies at Christmas? Do they cheer you up or bring you down?
Don't give up! There is hope for depression - even at Christmas.
Here is one Hallmark Christmas movie that I watched recently that was especially sweet to me.
