A word from the author…
Ranked among the most brilliant of human philosophers is a man by the name of Charles M. Shultz. Just a glance at his work, and you’ll discover a mind deeply in tune with human nature; Love, Loss, Pain, Charity, Depression, Excitment, Betrayal, Friendship, Brotherhood- the challenges of growing up, the trials of finding our identity, what it means to be human- He understood. And yet he chose to convey these deep messages to us in the most unassuming way: A column comic called Peanuts. Why? Because he was a student of life. He knew that the most profound truths life has to offer are the simplest to understand, and that the simpler a truth, the harder it is for us to accept it. So he drew. A bunch of children and a dog living their lives. But really, they were living our lives, if we’re honest. Our hopes, fears, dreams, and passions. And such is the nature of stories. Good stories tell us truth about human nature. They tell us truth about ourselves. And if we choose to accept them, those simple truths have the potential to change us forever. But the best stories are the ones that tell us the truth about eachother. They’re the ones that shed light to the fact that we’re not all so very different after all. A few months ago, I was exposed to a show titled Bluey, and it has changed my life. What began as a pique of curiosity into the life of family of blue heelers has blossomed into a full blown love and passionate dive into all the nuances and truths that this story yearns to unlock within its audience. & in the same paradoxical manner that a strip of cartoon children shines a penetrating beam of introspection into the often mechanical flow of our adult lives, this show about a cartoon dog has taught me the most about being human of any other fictional work I’ve ever encountered. I enter this journey knowing that the man going in won’t be the same man walking out, and I am inexpressibly exhilarated by that. The chance to grow, to learn, to feel, to cry, to laugh- these are things we’re forgetting how to do as a people, and frankly, things I’ve lost sight of in my own life. But this show has reminded me of what matters. I’m on a journey to find them again. And I’d be absolutely thrilled if you’d join me for the ride :)Introduction
I don’t think I’ll ever forget that first morning I watched an episode of Bluey. Every news channel was covering the possibility of a third global war, and though burden of the darkness onscreen was almost too much to bear, I couldn't pull my eyes away. Images of bombs and bodies… of homes torn apart and families ruined- stories of war and death and-- and just like that, my little brother changed the channel.
Suddenly, the screen that had been streaming all the “important” things was now occupied by a little blue dog, and an orange dog, and their dad. I lurched for the remote, but he quickly pulled away and we began arguing over who’s story was more important: The one happening in our reality, or the fantastical made of lives of cartoon heelers. He then involved my mother; and while at the time I didn't know it, I have never been more grateful to lose a fight in my life.
Bluey holds a very special spot in my heart. It inspires me to be the best man I can be.
It brings out the child and wonder that the world has forced to hide inside my heart.
It makes me want to sing out loud, and give to the less fortunate, and dance in the rain, and talk to strangers.
It Reminds me it’s ok to cry.
It Reminds me it's ok to make mistakes.
We have enough pain in this world. And we have enough people highlighting and emphasizing that brokeness. I’d like to highlight and share something good for a change.
Bluey is a show about a Mom, a Dad, a girl, and her little sister trying to navigate life the best they can. They don’t always get it right… and neither do we. But they never stop doing their best to show how much they love one another. They never stop doing their best to grow together. And I think that’s something we could all benefit from learning. It addresses many difficult, mature themes that will likely make many of us uncomfortable. Themes such as broken relationships, undervalued work, the delicate balance between dreams and reality, and so, so many more that are vital to our human development. It’s fun, but it’s sobering. It’s painful. It’s raw and real and doesn’t shy away from hard topics. Instead, it tackles them gracefully, beautifully, and unapologetically.
Introduction to Bluey Breakdown
The purpose of this blog is to take a deep dive into the world of bluey. It’s designed as a companion piece to be read after each episode as you progress through the show. Bluey works too hard to not be taken seriously as a teacher. My main goal is to break apart each episode and extract as many lessons from each as I can. Lessons that I believe, if we allow them to sink into our hearts, can change us for the best. Some of these lessons I’ll be writing about will be ones I’ve been long acquainted with, while others (such as the challenges of parenthood) will be mere speculation. My observations, and the lessons I share will unavoidably be influenced by every event in my life leading up to this point, and I beleive thats ok. I hope that this would be a springboard into meaningful discussions, as well as impactful moments of self realizations. But above all, I challenge you to feel. To engage. To look inward, and outward- past and forward. Look to yourselves, and to others. Look at what is, but more than anything… Look into what could be. And chase that with all you have.
Here’s to the beautiful journey of life, and here's to becoming more and more human.
-Ethan Seth Martinez
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