Being Erica

Meet Erica...

Here are the ABC's of Being Erica: She's thirty-two years old, perpetually single and making barely enough money at the dead-end job she's about to lose. Her friends are busy getting married, buying their first homes and climbing the corporate ladder. They're moving up and on in their lives and leaving Erica in the dust.

After suffering a series of mishaps that ultimately land her in the hospital, Erica meets the mysterious Dr. Tom - a therapist who knows a lot about her. He issues a bizarre challenge - if she wants to fix her life, he can help her. Frustrated and heartsick about how her past choices have lead her to this current, pitiful situation, Erica accepts his terms. Her first homework assignment: Erica is to provide the good doctor with a detailed list of her life's greatest regrets. And it's one long list.

Then comes the fun part. Suddenly, Erica is supernaturally launched back into her own past to make different choices this time around. Each episode, she knocks off one more item on her list.

Coolness!

It made me wonder, however.

In reality, would new choices really change anything? Or do we wind up who we are...no matter what? I make decisions every day. Some important, some not-so-much. But they're mine. And they all seemed good (or good enough) at the time. So perhaps we shouldn't waste time wondering what might have happened, and instead take full ownership of our choices. At least that's what I'm intending to do.

Nonetheless...
I LOVE Being Erica's adorable, bumbling, teachable Erica. Her therapy is my therapy. Often times, the sage council she gets from Dr Tom goes right into the notebook I save for important saying and quotes. Here are a few of my favorites from season one:

 
"What do you do when you see your life as a series of bad choices, when you'd give anything to've made different ones? The question is, if you could go back and do it all differently, would you still be you?"

"Our lives are like a house of cards. Some of the cards are cosmetic. While others are low bearing walls. You move one of those cards and the whole thing comes tumbling down. Chip away at what makes you "you" and you become something else." -Dr Tom

"Why can't I meet someone whose not damaged or crazy or a...fake African mask collector?"

"It wasn't the humiliation of other people seeing me, it was more me questioning my own judgement. And ever since then, I'm just so picky... As far as relationships go, it's debilitating...as soon as I meet someone, I start looking for faults."

"Learn to be what you are, and learn to resign with good grace all that you are not."

"Life is about choices. Every day, every moment is a choice...And all you have to decide is...what's your choice going to be here."

Plus, Lily Frost's darling theme song charms my socks off.