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 When
I was a little girl, female role models were far and in between. In the
80's, The XFiles' Dana Scully and Patricia Cornwell's chief medical examiner
Kay Scarpetta were non-existant and we lived in a much more male dominated
world. I'll never forget watching "V" for the very first time
and instantly being moved by Dr. Julie Parrish. I was ten years old at the
time and suddenly "V" became an obsession and I just couldn't
get enough of Julie. I looked up to her with hopeful eyes, for she taught
me so much as a little girl and made me believe in myself like nobody else
could. Although I knew she was a fictional character, that did not stop
me from wanting to be like her in all ways of life. Because of Julie, my
first dream in life was to become a doctor, a dream that I still grasp onto
to this day. Can you just imagine a ten year old walking around saying she
wanted to be a biochemist? Welp, that was me! Instead of trying to pull
together a bunch of fancy words to describe just how much I still love Julie
Parrish, I'm going to go back to a dream I had when I was a little girl;
it's a dream that stays with me to this day and I'd like to share it with
you all now. Thanks for reading. :) |
I'll never forget the dream.We were jogging together around a lake – a lake so immeasurable I could not see its beginning or end. The lake was blue, almost too blue, clear, and inviting. It was early morning, dawn, the sun was coming up and the air was brisk through my beat up black sweatshirt that sprawled over me loosely. Yet, despite the coolness, I was bathed in warmth because of her presence. She was talking to me, looking at me with eyes that I believed held all the answers, and smiling. Each time she would smile her dimples would blossom on her cheeks and I couldn’t help but feel elated, alive, happy. I was ten years old and she was at least fifteen years older than me, yet in my dream time meant nothing, for her words were strong, encouraging, and wise. She told me over and over that I could do anything and that the world was resting in my hands. We continued jogging around the immense lake as her words implanted their roots in my head, in my heart, and forever in my soul. As a child, I clung to her words like static and I continue to cling to them today...... |
| "V" is a show that’s impacted my life
greatly, particularly the character of Julie Parrish. As a young girl at the
age of ten, I didn’t know very much about life or what I wanted to do
with mine. However, when I was introduced to Julie, things started changing
rapidly. There was something about Julie that magnetized me. I could never
actually pinpoint exactly what it was about her - - maybe it was everything.
When I think about it, there’s nothing about Julie that I would change
(in the Original miniseries and the Final Battle.) She was everything that
I could imagine being as a little girl: brilliant,
beautiful, brave, strong, and wise. I swore that when I grew up
I wanted to be just like Julie Parrish. I was even obsessed with science and
I remember clearly pulling straight A’s in math and science throughout
school because I was so encouraged by Julie’s abilities. I wanted those
abilities too! I wanted to be a scientist, I wanted to be a doctor, I wanted
to study medicine. Julie pointed me in these directions. In short, Julie Parrish
was my role model.
It seems almost unfathomable that so many years have passed since Julie entered my life; it seems even more unreal that I still feel that she is a huge part of me. With every little baby step that I take towards my dreams and goals, at the root of everything I know Julie still lingers there. I know that a lot of people don't understand how I can cling to someone who's not real, let alone a character who has been out of mainstream television for so many years. I have no concrete answer as to why I continue holding on to Julie's strength, I just do...and somehow, I always manage to get through. It seems unreal that a fictional character can still weave herself through my skin, to my heart, and back again, but that's what Julie has done. Even in my lowest moments of self doubt and depression, I am reminded of Julie's resilience, bravery, and dedication. I am reminded of her vulnerabilities as well as her weaknesses. I am reminded that even someone who appears perfect on the outside, has faults on the inside. I am reminded of strength. It is for these reasons, and so many more, that a sliver of my heart will always belong to Julie Parrish, my eternal hero. |
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