"Do not stop until you picture this woman on the table, until you can truly see her. Do not stop until we can hear her voice and what she has to say."
This past week’s episode of Grey’s Anatomy threw me for a loop. Quite honestly the whole season has been difficult for me, and I have successfully watched the show in its entirety 3+ times. (Yes, it is possible.) Reading some of the comments for the new episode was hilarious, but I think an important lesson can be learned, even if it was reaching the strangeness level of the musical episode.
Although the new episode was difficult, I did enjoy learning about Richard Webber’s past. Yes, we know about his affair with Ellis and his life with Adele, but finally, after 13 seasons, we learned about his early life. Watching the episode made me reflect on how we can think we understand someone, maybe someone we’ve known for years, but in reality not know them at all.
Learning about Richard’s childhood and his mother’s death opened my eyes to this realization. I almost felt guilty for not being more curious to know about one of my favorite characters who has been a part of my life for so long. Of course I was curious about Richard overall, but never once did I ask myself why he went into medicine or what caused him to be the person he is, like I have with Meredith or Alex. I think because Richard is such a fixture on the show, I figured I knew everything there was to know about him.
Richard Webber, one of the few original cast members still standing (don’t worry I knocked on wood) has been an integral part of the show. Without Richard Webber, our favorite attendings certainly would not have become the great surgeons they are. Without Richard Webber, Grey Sloan would not be the same. By learning about his childhood and seeing the life he created out of something so tragic, I was able to get a better understanding of his character as a whole.
I think what I’ve realized is that every person is a unique combination of moments. Just like Richard, we have moments that form the rest of our life. We all have been through and will continue to go through, moments that change our lives for better or worse. This may all sound a little cheesy but honestly, it’s all true. As crazy as it might sound to some of you, watching Grey’s Anatomy has taught me endless lessons, including the one from this week. Never assume you know the entirety of someone’s life or beliefs just because you think you do. Most importantly, just because we have known someone for months or years, doesn’t necessarily mean we know each and every detail of their lives.
I believe at a time like this, with such tension and assumption, this is an important lesson to know. Being mind-blown by Richard Webber’s past was a true awakening for me this week. I understand his character more clearly than I have before. I got an inside glimpse at his reasoning for his life choices.
At the end of the day, I don’t believe we will ever fully know a person. We are all too unique to even fully understand ourselves. Richard Webber has taught me a lot of lessons throughout life, but I think the most important was just that. Understand that what you know of a person is not their full story and never assume their story.
