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What I Learned on Grey's Anatomy - Where The Wild Things Are

Where The Wild Things Are

Its back! I didn't think I would be so excited, but I am! I didn't have high expectations for this new episode and I was pleasantly surprised! So, I'm ready to go again and here's what I learned on Grey's Anatomy last night:

There's a difference between human beings and animals.

In a way I guess that seems obvious. But in some ways - we all have to admit we that act a lot like animals. We fight for attention, position, and power. We have basic survival instincts that allow us to knock anything down that gets in our way. The "competition" in this episode was the perfect example. I loved and was also somewhat sickened by Izzie trying desperately to find something beyond a broken ankle - it was the animal in her that wanted to find it, attack it, and come out on top.

The ways that we are so much like the animal kingdom can sicken us. But the thing is - when we're living life as these "wild creatures" we don't really see it. We see it in others, but are afraid and resistant to recognizing it in ourselves. We can look at our lives and our culture, and wonder who these people are. Who are we? And why do we act like this? That's the way I felt as I was watching last night's episode of Grey's - who are these people? Why are they acting like this?

But what I learned as the episode came to an end was this: There is a difference between human beings and animals. But wait - I already knew that right? When God created the world he created all of the animals - He created the fish of the sea, the birds of the air, cattle, wild animals and every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth. Check out Genesis 1.

But then God created human kind.

It says that God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

Here's what I know about God - He is faithful and forgiving, He is compassionate and generous, He is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Exodus 34:6, Nehemiah 9:17, Psalm 145:7-9. Then, when God came into this world in human flesh we learned something new about God - we learned that he was willing to give up his life, give up himself, he willingly suffered and died - so that others might have life.

If human beings are created to be like God - we should have these same characteristics. We should be compassionate, gracious, forgiving, slow to anger, abounding in love, willing to give up something of ourselves so that others might live.

SO - what did I learn on Grey's Anatomy? I learned that there is a difference between human beings and animals and the difference is that we see glimpses of God's image in human beings. We saw Christina give up on competing for every last point in order to really learn something about surgery. We saw Meredith let go of her pride in order to work with Derek so that her patient could have a chance at life. We saw George stop living in his anger and really see that he had a home and more importantly a friend. And we saw Bailey become just a bit more human. We've always known Bailey as the "Nazi." Tonight she took on the role of the mama bear, carrying her cub around protecting him and nurturing him like we've never seen before.

I saw compassion, self-sacrifice, humility, and grace. Human beings are not animals, we know that. But why is it so easy to act like it sometimes? That's what I learned. What did you learn?

Pastor Sara

What I Learned On Grey's Anatomy - Kung Fu Fighting

I was so bored at a meeting once (bored and sleepy) so to keep myself awake I tried pinching my arm, I tried drinking so much water I had to pee, and I even tried paying attention.  (Of course this meeting was long before I started working at Southwood - I'm sure I'd never get bored at a meeting at Southwood.)   Finally I resorted to going around the board room table and figuring out what animal each person looked like. There was a bear, a cat, a lizard . . I guess those are the ones I remember.  But this game wasn't that difficult, and the more you look around - everybody sort of looks like one animal or another.  Ah, the little things that can entertain me.  Which animal are you?

I wish I had the creativity and passion of the open heart surgery guy from last night's episode.  Looking up in that gallery he could see all of those birds that brought him such purpose, calm, and passion.  At the same time he could sort of see into who they are, what they were hoping for, what was holding them back, and even (as the episode title suggests) what they were fighting for.

We're all fighting for something aren't we? ... 

What I Learned On Grey's Anatomy - A Change is Gonna Come

Change is inevitable. Duh, right? The hardest part is recognizing it and figuring out how to deal with it. My first thought after watching this episode was that nothing had changed. There are still the strange strange medical cases - internally decapitated and a guy who eats random objects. There are still the down right absurd story lines - giving an IV to a deer in the back of the pick up. I'm not sure I heard it in the episode, but I'm willing to say "Seriously?"  You're really going to revive a deer in the back of a pick-up?  Some things never change. 

But here's the thing - the change is so obvious I almost missed it. The change was just like that severed arm. As last season ended I was imagining what it would be like to lose my eyebrows - and here I am beginning this season thinking about how life would change if my right arm were severed.  That's what change can feel like right - like we've literally lost a limb.

What I Learned On Grey's Anatomy - Didn't We Almost Have it All

One final "Grey's" post for this year.  Okay - its been weeks since the season finale, but I felt compelled to write one more blog article.  I have to be honest, at first I didn't like the episode.  There were no stories that I felt ended well at all.  But the more time I've had to digest it - I love Cristina's story. 

I don't know about you, but for me Cristina's story in the finale was both amazing and heart-wrenching.  Remember how she lost her eyebrows?  As distinct a character as she is, it was really hard to recognize her at all.

So I've been thinking what would I lose, so that if I lost it - I wouldn't even recognize myself? Or, What would I look like without eyebrows?  If you want to know the answer to that question - keep reading . . .

What I Learned On Grey's Anatomy - The Other Side of Life

So what's your dream?  Your goals?  Your hopes for life?  For this summer? Next year?  In five years?  In 10?  Okay, I can't think beyond that right now.  I loved the opening of this episode, it is so helpful to be reminded of these things that we hope for, dream about, and plan our lives around.  What happens when we get them?  What happens when we don't?  What happens when we get them and we realize that they aren't at all what we wanted?

editorial note: And what happens when all you wanted to do was watch your favorite t.v. show and then the network spends 80% of the time trying to hook you on watching its next "great" show?  (oops - I'm off on a rant!)  I do have to say a little dissappointment set in for me last night as we were introduced to all these new characters and only got little bits and pieces of our friends back in Seattle. 

What I Learned On Grey's Anatomy - Time After Time

I was waiting to hear Cyndi Lauper's refrain of Time After Time -denied.  I was left only humming that melody in my head reliving my own history of putting on my stretch pants and leg warmers and dancing to Cyndi Lauper and singing into my curling iron.

Meredith is right.  Our history catches up with us time after time.  The case of the missing tonsils got me to thinking about my own history.  I've still got my tonsils, both my kidneys and my appendix (no major surgery) - but I do have a scar from cutting my foot when I was seven, another on my leg from a car accident at 21, and I'm working on another on my left index finger from slicing myself with a bread knife just two weeks ago - I digress.  Its not just organs or scars - but so many events, people, and relationships that help us to recount our histories.  But, what happens when they come back?  Or What happens if they don't?

What I Learned on Grey's Anatomy - Scars and Souvenirs

Can you imagine? A bullet in your back for half your life.  Waiting for the day you can prove the truth about what really happened.  Only to find out there is no proof.

Our scars weigh heavy on us.  They are weights that drag us down, beat us up, and leave us wondering what happened.  What I learned on Grey's Anatomy this week is that scars don't have to be dead weight.  Scars can finally become something that we can move forward from and that we grow from.  Scars can help us begin to see something new in ourselves.

The bullet in the back was the perfect metaphor for all of the weight that's being carried around Seattle Grace Hospital.

What I Learned On Grey's Anatomy - Somtimes a Miracle

First of all I want to say "I knew it."  But I won't - because I'm not sure I did "know it", or "believe it" as I so boldly proclaimed last week.  Yesterday afternoon I was debating what I would do if Meredith was really dead, would I keep watching this show?  Or would that be it?  Now, I don't have to answer that question.  But I still sort of wonder . . .

So our girl is alive!  The world of Seattle Grace Hospital that stood still for these moments - has begun to move again.  The possibility of Meredith's death affected the entire hospital - or at least all of the characters that we know.  Even Addison, who would have almost no reason to care for Meredith - is frozen at the thought of sharing this devestating news.

So what is it about Meredith that has us so captivated?  I have a theory!

What I Learned On Grey's Anatomy - Drowning on Dry Land

I believe.

I believe we will survive this.  Even though I vowed at the beginning of the episode that if Meredith died I would quit watching the show.

I believe I will survive this.  I believe I will watch again next week. I also believe its going to be really really hard to wait a whole week to find out what in the world they were thinking!

I also believe . . .

What I Learned On Grey's Anatomy - Walk on Water

What I learned on Grey's Anatomy?  Nothing!  I suppose the fact that Meredith is still "dark and twisty" is revealed, the interns are crazy overwhelmed, and I hate episodes that leave me hanging.  So again, what did I learn on Grey's Anatomy? Nothing.

I do think the title of the episode is curious.  Walk on Water!  Hmmm . . . where have I heard that before?  We immediately think of Jesus walking on water.  But let's not forget our boy Peter . . . oh Peter tried to walk on water too, and he was so much like Meredith (or was Meredith like Peter?)

So what went wrong?  Why can't Peter walk on water?  Why can't Meredith walk on water?