ALL MY CHILDREN and Other Soaps Did More than Entertain Us

Today is a very special day in my life and in the life of countless others. It's the last airing of ABC TV's Daytime Soap Opera ALL MY CHILDREN. Although that may seem superficial to some, don’t judge. At least not before you hear why it’s important to me and why Soap Operas are important in general.

From the very first show that I watched with my mother when I was 11 years old; which happens to be the current age of my granddaughter, I loved the anticipation of sharing that time with my Mama who is no longer with us. After the show, she and I would chat about the stories; some parts I understood, and some she'd have to explain to me, often stating, "we'll talk about it in more detail when you're older and better able to understand". Some of it may have been put on hold, but all of it was discussed and believe me, they opened up some great 'life' discussions. Those moments were and shall remain very fond memories of Mama and me.

ALL MY CHILDREN was also a great influence on my creativity. Amazed at the intricate story lines and how they successfully weaved real-life lessons into entertaining drama, it helped me to remain positive when working through life's challenges and to be creative when solving life's problems. Come on...tell the truth; how many times have you been in a tough spot and asked yourself, “What would Erica do?” You may not have the answer right away, but you learned to know that things would always work out. Good training for real life.  

ALL MY CHILDREN and Soap Operas in general, present us with opportunities to open up and learn how to dream; a prerequisite to success. In real life, success begins with one inspiring moment in your heart; in one flash of a dream where you get a glimpse of your true desire. Success comes from the one thought that you learn to nourish into reality. So in essence, Soap Operas gave you practice at being successful, each and every day.

Finally, through ALL MY CHILDREN, I witnessed first-hand (via my TV set) that what is seen by some as hard work, actually enriches your life when you’re doing what you love to do. And to do what that cast did for so long expresses absolute love of the art, regardless of the bad rap Soap Operas sometimes got. It doesn’t matter whether others understand what you do, as long as you understand and believe in what you’re doing. And when it can inspire many people without hurting any people, you can’t help but be happy.

  

Over the top? Yes, Soap Operas are famous for it. The stories did get over-the-top at times, but I simply viewed them as attention-getters; you know, like how you sometimes get loud and animated when you're trying to drive a point home. With their bottom line being that the viewers did get the point…mission accomplished. And everyone came out ok, with us being entertained in the process.   

They say the end of ALL MY CHILDREN marks the end of an era, and that’s true for daytime TV. But with the buzz about Soap Operas going online, ALL MY CHILDREN will probably continue in some other media; which teaches us the ultimate lesson; Nothing dies; it's just reborn into another form.

I thank you, ALL MY CHILDREN, for all my lessons and especially for all the good times you brought into my life. I feel like I’m saying good-bye to an old and dear friend. So, as I complete this tribute, I stop for a moment, raise my cup of Chamomile tea and say, Here’s to a fantastic show!  It’s been a great ride!



~~ Tell Tammy ~~
If you're a fan of ALL MY CHILDREN, share your favorite moments.