All My Children...or rather All My Grandchildren

Today, a significant event is taking place in daytime television...All My Children airs for the last time on network television. All My Children has been on the air for over 40 years - first airing on January 5, 1970. For today's television, that's an extremely long time! Perhaps you're a fan, perhaps you're not. I promise this post really has nothing to do with the soap opera itself, I promise. Please keep reading...

When I was younger, my mom worked out of the home, so when my brother and I got sick, rather than my mom staying home or taking a vacation day, my mom would take us to my grandmother's house. My grandmother was a nurse, so clearly she knew exactly how to take care of us, whatever our various ailments. Even when we were out for various school breaks or whatnot, we still went to my grandmother's house.

My grandmother and I meeting my baby brother for the first time.

My grandparents have both passed, but I would love to know what they would think of today's television. Yes, the shows that are on, but I'd be more interested in the actual piece of electronic equipment. My grandparents always had one of those televisions that was an actual piece of furniture. Even when the one I remember as a child broke, they got a "new" one when I was a teenager, it looked almost the exact same. It looked something like this:

 

When I would stay home from school and go to my grandmother's house, I had full reign. I was able to talk whenever I wanted, eat whatever I wanted, watch whatever I wanted on television. HOWEVER, when the one o'clock hour approached (eastern time), everything stopped and we had to watch All My Children. This was my grandmother's guilty pleasure. I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure she saw the first episode and didn't quit watching until the day she died.

I remember in college, I would call my grandmother to check in and we would always talk about what was going on with various characters. If I was home sick today, there's no way I would have a clue about what was going on with the various story lines and characters. On this day, however, I might just play "sick" and watch just for the sake of old times. Old times that I cherish with my grandmother...she taught me well and I miss her!

My aunt, grandmother, mom, and me at my bridal shower. This was a few weeks before she passed away.

The Great and the Least,

The Rich and the Poor,
The Weak and the Strong,
In Sickness and in Health,
In Joy and Sorrow,
In Tragedy and Triumph,
You are ALL MY CHILDREN.