The One That Inspires

I don't like it when I get too emotionally attached to the story line or characters of any book, movie or TV show. I tend to forget that the characters are NOT REAL PEOPLE. I tend to forget that their lives are only real on reel.

In "The One With All The Haste," an episode from Season 4 of "Friends" Ross falls in love with Emily, a woman he's only known for six weeks. He asks her to marry him because, among other things, she inspires him to become a better person - someone who learns how to play rugby football, gets his ear pierced, etc.

Ross tells Emily: "Oh, I know. Y’know what, I never would’ve gotten this if it weren’t for you. No really, when I’m with you I’m-I’m like this whole other guy, I love that guy! I mean, I love you too, a lot, but that guy! I-I love that guy!"

And his friends: "Yeah, I know, so what? I mean, who’s-who’s to say? Does that me we-we can’t do it? Look, huh, I was with Carol for four years before we got married and I wound up divorced from a pregnant lesbian. I mean, this, this makes sense for us. Come on! I mean, on our first date we ended up spending the whole weekend in Vermont! I mean, last night I got my ear pierced! Me! This feels right. Doesn’t it?"

The events and the lines got me wondering... When was the last time I inspired my husband to do something out of the ordinary? Came out as... how come I don't inspire you to do things?

And the response was a booming "of course you do."

"Like what?"

And that's how I learned that I am supposedly the inspiration of the man for not quitting his job. He inspires me/challenges me to continue to be beautiful and interesting - physically, intellectually, emotionally, artistically, etc. I inspire him to report for work.

Oh wow.