I got addicted to the new Netflix show “Orange Is The New Black” this summer.  It is considered a black comedy.  It didn’t really seem like the type of show I’d like when I first heard about it but once I got started, I couldn’t stop.  In a way, it’s like not being able to turn away from an accident scene.  My husband and I watched the last episode of season 2 last Friday night.  Are any of you watching it and loving it too? I won’t give away the last episode but I will say I liked it quite a lot. Incidentally, I attended a Hollywood party a few weeks ago (“The Night Before the Emmy’s”).  Many of the cast attended that party.  All of them look a lot better in street clothes (and I thought many of them were very very attractive in person) than they do in their orange and grey prison costumes!  I’m convinced a few of them are wearing prosthetic teeth in the show.

One of the things I love about the show is the character development, assisted by  including flashbacks in time in order to explain each character’s history.  Episodically, individual character’s stories are revealed.  Suddenly, I became sympathetic towards the majority of them.  I began to think about a few concepts.  The first one was how easily I can understand how a person could get themselves into a prison situation with maybe even one “bad”, “wrong” or “rebellious” decision.  I think the show illuminates how understandable it might be to adopt a life of crime if you were born into that type of environment.

*Relevant side note.  I once spent an hour in a half with a violent criminal and am not sure I will ever be able to be completely sympathetic or understanding towards him.  He is serving time in San Quentin for life- hopefully without parole.  Probably an appropriate place of residence for him.  (That can be another blog post for another time).

Secondly and similarly, it has made me realize that hearing anyone’s life story in greater detail helps a person perhaps understand someone a lot better.  I recently had breakfast with a high school acquaintance whom I did not know during the time I attended. After hearing part of her life story, I was truly fascinated. Unbeknownst to me, back then, she was dealing with a lot of family medical problems.  While I was spending my days in high school having a carefree existence, going to dance line practice and other activities after school, she was coming home and doing abdominal dressing changes and caring for her ill Mom.   I think many (maybe even most) people’s lives, unbeknownst by others, are very challenging, complex and even heroic. I think it’s rather sad that some people aren’t willing to share their difficulties and accomplishments more with others.

The lesson for me personally is to try to be less quick to judge people.  I have always liked the attitude that you can’t really judge someone until you’ve walked a mile in their moccasins.

“You never really know a man until you understand things from his point of view, until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

Lee, Harper. To Kill a Mockingbird 1960

I’m going to strive to become less judgmental and more accepting of others while we travel along our own paths.  I’d love hear from you what your thoughts are about the show or what your thoughts and feelings are about people, prisons or on judgmental attitudes.  PLEASE SHARE!