*Spoilers for Gilmore Girls ahead*
It’s insane to believe that the iconic show Gilmore Girls is turning 25 years old! Directed by Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino, the show tells the story of overachieving teen Rory and her mother, Lorelai Gilmore, who had her when she was just a teen herself. The two are a mother-daughter duo that acts more like best friends than the traditional mother-daughter relationship as they face the trials and tribulations of life while dealing with endearing small-town chaos and high school.
One day, back in 8th grade, I sat down with my mom to watch the show after I’d heard the amazing reviews and how it was the favorite show of almost everyone who had watched it. Instantly, we were both hooked. After watching all seven seasons over the course of, I turned off the TV and didn’t quite know what to do. But over the next several months, I noticed how two specific life lessons that this show taught me kept coming up.
One of these lessons is the importance of chosen family. One’s chosen family are the people you can’t imagine life without.. In the show, while attending Chilton Preparatory School, Rory meets Paris Geller, an ambitious, competitive, perfectionist who, at first, seems to hate Rory. However, the two slowly become inseparable over the course of their two years at the school. This continues into college when the pair become roommates. In fact, their college friendship brings about one of the show’s more famous sayings, which Rory utters to Paris after an intense argument with her boyfriend: “No men. Just lots and lots of Chinese food.” Paris and Rory’s friendship is the prime example of how important a chosen family can be and how they will always be there for each other.
Another lessonI noticed while watching (and rewatching) this masterpiece was that your dreams should always take priority. Examples include Rory dreaming of becoming a journalist and attending Harvard University, and Lorelai dreaming of opening her own inn. Even though many problems arose in their lives, including financial aid issues, Rory did become a journalist and graduated from an Ivy League school – though it was Yale, not Harvard. Lorelai did end up opening her own inn, The Dragonfly Inn. and became business partners with her best friend, Sookie Saint-James. While the pair faced difficulties chasing their respective dreams, they both achieved them. After achieving their dreams, Rory and Lorelai were much happier than before, which proves the significance of prioritizing your dreams in order to achieve them.
Gilmore Girls has imparted many important life lessons to its viewers that resonate well beyond the confines of the fictional small town of Stars Hollow. The show beautifully illustrates the complexities of family relationships, particularly the bond between mothers and daughters. It teaches us about the importance of communication, understanding, and unconditional love, reminding us that family can be both a source of support and challenge.
Congratulations to Gilmore Girls for staying in the hearts of millions, even after 25 years!