The Golden Girls gave us many gifts – that catchy opening theme song, iconic 80’s Miami fashion moments, Betty White – but it also taught us some valuable life lessons delivered with a dose of humor.
After 30 years, we still look back on The Golden Girls with more than a little fondness. After all, who didn’t want a group of friends like Blanche, Dorothy, Rose and Sophia? To celebrate the show’s milestone anniversary, let’s take the time to remember one of the many things it gave us: some inspiring life lessons.
1. Embrace each other’s differences.
The show’s entire premise revolved around the hilarity that ensued thanks to each of the character’s personalities. The ladies were polar opposites in almost every way — Blanche was the confident seductress; Dorothy was smart and sarcastic; Rose, optimistic and completely naïve and Sophia, the wise-cracking truth teller – but their individual relationships worked because after all of the hijinks, they respected and valued what they each brought to the table. Their friendship is a great lesson to all of us about the importance of looking past our own thoughts and prejudices in order to see someone’s truly unique worth.
2. Friendship is one of life’s greatest gifts.
The opening number pretty much sums it up, but in case it didn’t sink in, The Golden Girls is one big testament to the power of friendship. When romantic relationships failed and family members passed away, Blanche, Rose and Dorothy always had each other to lean on. It doesn’t hurt to have someone in your corner that knows the best and worst parts of you who’s also rooting for you to succeed.
3. Never be afraid to laugh at yourself …
Though the drama was rife on the show, it was a sitcom which meant plenty of opportunities to laugh at Rose’s tall tales of her days on the farm and Blanche’s dating antics. But what was always appealing about the series and its main characters was their willingness to laugh at themselves. Each woman didn’t mind taking the other down a peg or two – usually in good fun.
4. … Or to try something new.
Another running theme of the show is that of reinvention. Each of the women became roommates after living a full life and deciding to try something different. From new jobs to new boyfriends, retirement for them meant realizing long-shelved dreams and taking risks in order to find new purpose and meaning. Did everything work out perfectly? No, but they always learned something new along the way.
5. Have confidence in yourself.
It’s hard to pick a favorite amongst the girls, but if we were giving out awards, Blanche would definitely take home the title of “Most Confident.” The woman loved herself, knew her strengths – which were many – and played to them. Of course, overconfidence was a weakness of hers as well but Blanche’s ability to be unabashedly proud of herself and her accomplishments is a trait we should all aspire to possess.
7. The answer for any problem is cheesecake.
The greatest lesson of them all. If The Golden Girls taught us nothing else, it’s that any crisis, big or smal, can be solved with a an entire cheesecake shared amongst friends in the wee hours of the night.
