Lessons learned from "Sons of Anarchy"

I've been watching (on Netflix) a television series called "Sons of Anarchy." It's a show about a motorcycle club in Northern California but the more I watch, the more I realize it's about so much more than that.

1. It's okay to be fearless (but bring backup). Over and over the characters in the show exhibit incredible bravery in some very dangerous situations. But you know, it's not just because they are these awesome biker dudes with muscles and guns. It's that they have the strength and loyalty of the entire club behind them. And they've cultivated allies along the way. One of the most interesting storylines is how they nurture a relationship with the town's chief of police.

It makes me wonder, "What would I do if I needed backup? Who are my allies?"

2. It's all about family. The members of the club are family, sometimes blood-related (there are fathers and sons in the club) and sometimes figuratively. They squabble with each other, they take care of each other, and when Gemma (the "old lady" of the club's president, the former wife of the club's founder who has died, and the mother of the heir-apparent) calls everyone to her house for dinner the show takes on a "Waltons" feel. Good night John-Boy.

Both our chosen families and our biological families are necessary in today's society. We need to know we have unconditional love, even if sometimes it looks like we don't get along.

3. Evil does exist in the world. Some of the characters in the series are bad people. Very bad. You don't want to know that standing next to you at the grocery yesterday was a racist, greedy, manipulative, dishonest son of a bitch. Don't even think about how he/she was a public official, business leader or member of law enforcement. It will drive you crazy.

I've been known to trust the wrong people sometimes. I am too nice and therefore get pushed around. I've been hurt and it's taking me a long time to get over it.