The strangers you meet that might one day become friends...
The last few weeks have been a bit blurry for me, each day of the final week of shooting was a emotional roller coaster, the sadness in my heart was overwhelming at times and I'm not ashamed to tell you that tears flowed. We hugged and said goodbyes to our cast and out of state crew, friends all... some closer than others but all have been part of my life for the last 9 seasons, each of them were complete strangers to me when they walked through the front door of the Production Office.
This is not a completely uncommon experience in the film Industry, most jobs last less than 6 months and we move on to the next project. Even television series barely last more than 3 or 4 seasons before being cancelled and cast and crew move to their next job. We enjoy intense and quick friendships then make new ones on the next project because that's nature of the beast of our industry... but 8 and a half years...
As each goodbye was said and the lingering hug broken off, I sadly watched them walk out the door - each moving onto the next chapter in their lives, I'm grateful that I have met and worked with them all. Colleagues, compatriots, teammates in making this special little show. I'm not going to say that we haven't had our rocky moments... what families don't? Yes, we were a family... we worked together, we ate together, we cried together during the tragic moments and we laughed together during the happy times. We were sad when members of the show moved on or left for personal reasons and we welcomed the new additions into our family with open arms. This was really a special production, we will always share this special bond.
A wise man* said to me, "Never delay or wait to say a kind word or do an act of kindness for a friend or loved one." How underused are the words, "I appreciate you... You're important to me... I'm thankful you're in my life...". Too often we let the moment pass when we think of our friends as we move through our busy lives and miss an opportunity to reach out to them. We tell ourselves that we'll do it right after we finish whatever we think is more important at that moment to get done. Unfortunately time is a double-edged sword, it can heal the pain we feel when our friends move away but it also seduces us into thinking that tomorrow always comes.
Why delay? Don't let time eat away and cheat you these glorious and delightful moments that all of us yearn for, the human connection from those who are important to us... the voice of or written word from a friend or loved one. I will take his words to heart and reach out to my friends and take comfort in hearing their voice and even if they're thousands of miles away - bask in the warmth of their friendship and cherish the memories we share. Don't wait 'til it's time to say good-bye.
SoGoPro friends please remember to share the simple kindnesses in this season of bustle they are what carry you well into the future and remember... "Silent gratitude isn't much use to anyone." ~ G.B. Stern
Danke, Merci, Gracias, Grazie, Dziekuje - Thank you for your continued support of SGP!
kt
(*wise man - Mark Schwahn)
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Comments
Thank you for sharing this wonderful and touching blog entry with us KT. It is so very true how often we take for granted the time we have with our loved ones. We always think that tomorrow is always going to be there and that is not always the case. Life really is to short not to go around and make sure that the people you care about know how much you appreciate them. Both You and Mark Schwan are two very wise men. So glad that I was able to get to meet and know you KT. I that it is safe for me to say that all of us here at SoGoPro appreciate all you and the rest of the crew do for all of us street team members. Letting us all into your lives and business. You will never truly know the impact that you guys have made on all our lives. Thank you for that!
xoxo
Kait
xoxo,
Kasia
Thanks for the wonderful piece of writing KT, very wise words that everyone should remember! Thank you for sharing it with us! :)
I recently read an article which listed the dying's top 5 regrets and a common theme among them was wishing they stayed in contact with some of the greatest friends they've ever had in their lives.
I used it as a means of reaching out to some dear friends who no longer seemed to be able to find the time (in a whole year) to catch up. It worked. I have to admit my tactic probably really hit home for some of them and the truth is, if something did happen to one of them tomorrow I would be absolutely devastated, not for lack of trying.
Time is a precious thing, you don't know how long you're going to have certain individuals as a common presence in your life.
You all created a wonderful show that will forever live on as a document of what you had together.
-Alina
Be a DO-er!
Thanks so much KT for sharing that with us, OTH has meant so much to me and in many ways changed my life particularly in this past year.
I thank you and the rest of the cast and crew for their hard work and devotion.
In addition thanks for all the hard work you put into SoGoPro! I hope we will hear more from you soon.
Good luck with all your future projects.
Lizzie
This post was beautiful and too true. I can only imagine how you must feel- the only true way I can relate is when I departed from my High school music department and most recently- college. When you share such intense creative passion, it's hard to imagine finding it with anyone else. There is nothing like fitting into a group of people that understand the common goals, the greater good- and can fight for it the same way you do. Smiling together, grieving together- gosh it's so unbelievably hard. We get to look back every day though, and remember how blessed we were to have even had that.
I wasn't even a member of the OTH staff, and today I can't turn any one episode of OTH on just yet. Each episode, each season- has it's significance and memories for me too. Knowing it's ending in a sense, makes me afraid to remember how much I love it, to remember how sad I'll be when I realize it won't be there as I know it anymore. After reading this post though, I feel compelled to turn it back on with an enlightened perspective- that the memories associated with it will live on forever, that the story and the production behind it created a family of workers and viewers, and that there really will only ever be One Tree Hill.
I'm so proud of the SoGoPro family, and how much we all have to look forward to together. I'm proud of the SGP teammates that have currently joined OTH- and I am thankful for all the love and wonder you, kt, have experienced as a result of the production. The day that tv show entered my life is the day I became aware of my dreams and my potential and I'm one of so many who can say that. Without you, the friends you've made and the brilliant minds of all OTH cast/crew... Where would we be?
So grateful!
Much love, K
Totally agree with you KT, never wait to laugh and say what we think, to those who are important to us. There is no shame in saying when you cry, at least 9 years we spendin your company and I am happy. Careers were born and that good times with them.And we discovered the souls of the great novelists sogopro and thank you for all the good things that we share now, okay less often for me, because my restaurant is on the same path that you, the work and success and I am very proud, as proud as you need to be work and happiness does. Long live the whole team you're in the hope to meet you all one day at home here. The land is great but the world is small.
loic
A very touching blog and very nicely written as well. It's also a blog that comes at the right time for me, as I see some colleagues that I consider as close friends finishing their PhD and moving on to their next projects...
But coming back to OTH, it was really moving, to be able to see all the pictures and kind of live "the end of an era" through it -even if they are still 12 new episodes to come-. I feel like I've grown with it from a teenager to a young adult, the stories told in the show helping me to write my own story. And as much as it is sad to "see it go", i'm so thankfull for the fact that it also brought me here, to this wonderful company and people/friends.
Merci pour tout
What a great blog.
Reading all the tweets and posts from cast and crew in that last week was poignant for the fans so i can only imagine how you guys must have felt. Thanks for all your stories, thanks for the memories...
KT,
This is such a great blog! I've really enjoyed getting to know you and hearing all of your stories about your work on OTH. Meeting you (twice!) has topped my list of experiences in life so far! Thank you for showing me what you have known for nine years. I can't wait to hear about the new projects that you will be working on though. Hopefully more will be in store for SGP! Beautifully written by the way!
<3 Lissy
Thank YOU! ... our support? ... I don't know? ... If we have fun ... who is the supporter?
You give us more as we can give back to you.
I'm sure, you have more friends and they will love you for every time.
We know: Every song ends ... It's just life.
Thank YOU! Peter
Thank you for this blog. It's a touching story, and I hope you're able to stay in touch with a few.
And Mark Schwahn's quote is so very true. People always think 'that can wait till some other time', but it shouldn't have to. Will take that with me :)
Do you have any plans for the (near) future KT?
~ Hanne
Yes, you are a wonderful, an amazing family... I can not say how much I will miss you. It is heart-rending to say goodbye... I just love you, all the team, those who have been there since the beginning, those who left to go on with their lives and own projects and the new additions... I love you so much! And I know for sure that, the wise man's messages will stay with me forever. Him, you, OTH family... you gave me so much. I know you will meet other strangers in your way, who will make you feel so good and lucky... and I know you will not forget to let them know how much they are important in your life. I adore your honesty, your sensibility, your sense of community... you are just great. Thank you for these nine years of sharing... This show transported me threw all sorts of emotions like no other ever did. I will follow every family member in their new projets... and I will watch my DVDs endless :D
Again, thank you so much.
With a lot of love,
Lonae, from France.
•"The truth is rarely pure and never simple. Modern life would be very tedious if it were either, and modern literature a complete impossibility!" - Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, Act 1