Where you lead, I will follow,
Nostalgia: our word for happier times past, viewed through rose-tinted lenses. Some young moms’ fond memories of Gilmore Girls were handed down to their daughters, a relic of early adulthood. But what word expresses tenderness for the unfamiliar, something vastly different from the stories you were told?
15 years after Gilmore Girls premiered, a family of three gathered in front of the TV. Waiting, wide-eyed, for the story to unfold. Somehow, a group of coffee rejects ended up longing for a seat in Luke’s diner. A place of refuge, of love and of laughter.
Anywhere that you tell me to.
It’s fall in Stars Hollow; the air is crisp but the sun is still shining. Autumn leaves are falling down like pieces into place (they’d be Swifties for sure). It’s the beginning of a new school year with new possibilities. Lorelei and Rory stroll leisurely towards Luke’s for their daily dose of coffee and witty banter.
They pass the town square, where Taylor is busy bossing people around. He’s making preparations for the autumn festival, and this year will be better than ever. Meanwhile, Kirk pursues his latest career endeavor (that man has more jobs than Barbie).
We can’t forget Lane. She may have stayed at Stars Hollow High while Rory went to Chilton, but she never strayed from her best friend’s side. Lane always provides a welcome interruption to Rory and Lorelei’s walk-and-talks. Whether she’s running to recount the latest album drop or Mrs. Kim drama, her quirkiness perfectly complements the mother-daughter duo.
Finally, they arrive at the promised land: Luke’s diner. It’s more than food; it’s an experience. Nothing beats the coffee on demand, the orders memorized by heart and the dry humor he serves on the side.
If you need me to be with you,
Gilmore Girls portrays how you’re never really done growing up or growing into yourself. How life is messy, yet still a masterpiece. We can hurt the people we love the most, but learn from it and come back to each other.
The world of Gilmore Girls is vastly different from my own, but it still feels like home.
All that’s missing is a younger sister to Rory, and it matches the Villarrubia mother-daughter trio.
Watching this show brought my mom, sister and I together throughout our own struggles and coming of age. We saw all that reflected on the screen, and it was the same strong bond that held us close.
I will follow where you lead.
Navigating college applications, drama and dances. Best friends and breakups. Adventures and adversity.
The Gilmore and Villarrubia girls, forever family.
