Happily Ever After and Sports
One of my online writing groups has been discussing a recent article that once again complains about romances and books with “Happily Ever After” endings. Reading the article and the comments, I couldn’t help wondering why this is such a bad thing. Or when it became a bad thing. After all, don’t we want our children to have a good life? A life with hope and promise? Perhaps with a compatible mate and love?
Isn’t that the essence of a “Happily Ever After” ending?
Right after that, my husband and I were driving to our youngest son’s basketball game. And I started thinking of the broader version of an HEA. We wanted our son’s team to win the game. We knew that certain players would make a lot of the shots, that there would be free throws after fouls, that some of the refs’ calls would be questionable (for fans of both teams) and that the other team would be going after the same thing. At the end, only one team would end.
Almost sounds like what some people would say is a formula. Two teams, some refs, some shooting of baskets, a happy ending for one team. And yet how many people watch sports every week? How much money is spent on advertising during sports events every week? Ever hear someone say that no one should watch sports because it’s ruining their lives? That sports events aren’t realistic? That nothing good will come from the hours involved in sports? Maybe some do but not to the extent that romance is trashed.
So, I’m not going to listen or read anymore of those complaints. A third of the people will like what we do, a third won’t care, and a third will complain. Listening to the third of the people who like what we do will take enough time. I’m going to concentrate on the positive, keep putting together stories of couples who beat the odds, and read tales from authors who believe in the same thing. Besides, you know that husband I mentioned earlier? We’ve been working on our own Happily Ever After for years. Why mess up a good thing?
