Helpful words

Not long ago, I talked about the short-lived TV show “Birds of Prey”.  While some loved the show, others did not.  As for me, even though I am not blind to this show’s flaws, I have to admit that I enjoyed it.

 

In the pilot episode, Helena Kyle, the main character (who happens to be the child of Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle), is talking with Barbara Gordon.  For those of you that don’t know, Barbara Gordon used to be Batman’s cohort, Batgirl.  In the show, Barbara was shot in the spine by the Joker, confining her to a wheelchair. Because of this, she was obviously unable to be Batgirl anymore.  However, she is still able to serve Gotham City by aiding Helena in the field with her experience, know-how, and technological expertise.

Helena says to Barbara, “I can’t be who you were.”  These words came to my mind as I continue to deal with the sudden loss of my father.  Barbara responded to Helena’s statement with words that I think my dad would say back to me, if he could.  She said, “Good.  Be yourself instead.”

As I said in my last blog, there’s only one Jerry Bauer.  I could never be my dad.  For instance, I’m a very serious person; Dad was a bit of a class clown.  For instance, upon arriving to his work, he would greet his coworkers, and ask them how they were doing.  After they answered, Dad would reply, “Well, you look terrible.”  Of course, he was kidding and everyone knew it.  In fact, they now acutely miss hearing him say that line.

I don’t have that kind of a sense of humor.  Now that Dad is gone, it would be easy to think, “OK, I need to work on being funnier, like Dad was.”  But my dad would echo the words of Barbara Gordon: “Be yourself instead.”  Years ago, Dr. Pepper ran a slogan that has stuck in my mind all this time.  It simply declared, “Be you.”  Judy Garland put it well when she said, “It’s better to be a first-rate version of yourself than a second-rate version of somebody else.”

Kevin