13 May 2021 – I love the reality television show Survivor. I have since season two. Shelby and I can never find anything worth watching on television. A few months ago, we decided to start watching Survivor from the beginning. I have seen it almost every season, and I love it. Shelby was too young when it was originally on, so she doesn’t remember what she had seen and then as she got older, she didn’t watch. Fortunately, I feel like I’ve never seen it either because I have forgotten so much.

We started at Season 1 – I had not seen the first season. It was different, that’s for sure, but it was fascinating. That first season they were given many essentials that they don’t get now. Also, Jeff Probst hadn’t been given as big a part yet. But, the biggest difference was that it was about merely surviving. There were no hidden immunity idols ad no one really knew what to expect, so it was essentially win immunity, find food, make fire. Perform, and you stick around. The winner wasn’t likable or really great – he was really just the one who survived. He fed everyone well every day; he performed well enough and outlasted others.

As the seasons went on, it became more a social game. Those who were liked or at least not disliked made it much further. Those who won had the power, and if you weren’t with them or you pissed them off – you were gone. It was cutthroat and ugly. People who lie straight at your face and then vote you out. It became too much like real life. I actually stopped watching when it got too real. I felt this enough in real life; I saw t too much in the real world. It was not entertainment.

One day I gave it another shot, and I’m glad I did because the game had changed again. Now it was all about strategy. People still lied and stabbed you in the back, but it was no longer malicious. Instead, it was about surviving until tomorrow. Most of the time, there weren’t any hard feelings because everyone understood that was the way to win, and it was only a game. Even at the reunion shows, everyone was getting along, and everything was forgiven. Why? Because it is a game. Only a game. I always laugh during episodes when someone says, “This is personal – why would you do this? I thought we were friends!” They have known these people for days, and they are there to play a game. During a game, you do what you have to so you can win. That’s the point. If you are playing monopoly or checkers, you don’t assume someone is evil because they win. You know it’s only a game. So is Survivor.

All that to remind me and everyone else, life is NOT a game. We are all surviving because we take care of each other. We can’t go through life lying to each other or stabbing one another in the back. We all have, and we hurt other people every day. We can’t take those actions back. We can’t mend those feelings because it is not a game. After thirty-nine days, we aren’t going to laugh about it. Even if a person forgives us, they can’t actually forget what we said or did. Surviving life is hard enough with other people tearing us down or leaving us out. Real-life demands honesty, integrity, love and sacrifice. We are our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers. Surviving only happens together.