My episode

One of my favorite American sitcoms is Everybody Loves Raymond.

The series shows the everyday dealings of the Italian-American Raymond Barone, his wife Debra and their kids. Raymond’s parents live in close proximity (just across the street!) and make their presence constantly known to the annoyance of Debra who finds his mother in law intrusive and insulting; and Raymond who is often caught in the middle of his mother and wife’s argument.

Raymond’s father, Frank, is portrayed to be a very obnoxious person who often makes sarcastic comments. He doesn’t like to show his emotions but several episodes show that he really loves his family. His mother, Marie, on the other hand is controlling and over nurturing, she is a very good housekeeper thus finds a lot to criticize Debra for.

In one of the more heartwarming episode of the series, Raymond questioned his parents’ happiness. They are often showed bickering with Frank criticizing Marie and Marie complaining about Frank’s insensitivity which in this particular episode boiled over with Marie moving out and going across the street to live with Raymond. 

With their constant squabble over the littlest things, Raymond felt that maybe they are miserable being together but was proven wrong when Frank came bursting through the door late at night looking for Marie because he couldn’t sleep without her beside him, and Marie ecstatic with joy over Frank’s shower of ‘emotion’. 

Sometimes when I see and hear my parents argue about small things I feel the same way. Like Raymond, I too wonder if they are happy. It was during Sunday mass that I got my heartwarming ‘episode’.

Me and my brother were seated in between my parents at church during last Sunday’s mass and at the part where we are to give peace to each other, my dad leaned over for a kiss from my mom. It was such a heartwarming moment as it is not often that we see our parents being ‘malambing’ with each other nor does our whole family get to go to church together, thus to have that moment during mass was particularly special. 

Thank you Lord for my ‘episode’ and thank you for the gift of Family.

And for all of these may God be Praised!!!