A Change of Heart

In case some of you haven't gotten on board the British TV train- you better get on. I mean, from Doctor Who, to Sherlock, and countless others - there are a ton of shows to watch and fall in love with.

In January, I binged on Sherlock. I watched the first two seasons on Netflix and then watched it religiously when season three aired in America. Now, I'm just waiting for the next season of Doctor Who to begin. When the fourth season of Downton Abbey wraps up I have no idea what I'm going to do with myself.

Every Sunday I love sitting in the living room and watching the soap-opera-esque lives of the Crowly family. This week, however, something stood out to me.

The character of Tom Branson (the son-in-law who was a cheauffur) has always intrigued me. I wasn't always sure of my opinion of him, but I thought he was interesting. He fell in love with Lady Sybill, was firm in his beliefs, but for the sake of his daughter he now lives with the Crowly family as one of them, even if it goes against what he believes politically. He hasn't quite found his place there yet, however, but I think he's growing fond of them, and they of him. They have created their own unique family. 

This week, Tom met Sarah Buntin at a political meeting. They seem to have an attraction towards each other and keep running into one another - which is the way of television. However, she appears to have a certain prejudice against the upper classes. AKA- people like the Crowly family. Tom helps Sarah with her car troubles and he tells her part of his story. She claims she doesn't like to assosicate with those types of people. Tom replies with: "I don't believe in types. I believe in people."

I knew I liked him.

It's nothing we haven't heard before. We all know we shouldn't stereotype people and put them into boxes. We shouldn't judge a book by it's cover. The whole Beauty and the Beast type of thing. This isn't a new lesson.

What I love about this though is that Tom's heart is warming. He had one image of people in his mind, and now it's starting to change. Now - Tom is still Tom. He has the same personality and the same general ideals. However, something in his heart and mind are begining to change.

It makes me think of my own past and my beliefs and how some of my opinions have changed as I've gotten older. If the person I was in high school, or even college, were to look at me now, they'd probably be shocked. I'm still me, but how I view certain things and people and ideas have changed. They've grown and evolved.

Then I think back to the original statement, "I don't believe in types. I believe in people." On the surface, I scream "YES! Exactly!" But yet... how many times do I go against it? Heck, even later in the episode I can see Tom going against it. (Even if just slightly.) It makes me sad to think of of hypocritical we people can be. We say one thing and do and think another.

That doesn't mean we don't make progress. We still grow, we still change, we still evolve, and we still try. I label people all of the time. I hold grudges sometimes. I judge others. But... I keep trying, and I think others are too. Or at least some are. Maybe even more than some. I hope I can become more like Tom, letting my heart warm up to others. Maybe then someday, what he said really will be true in all aspects.