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| WHERE IT ALL BEGAN <3 |
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| The AMAZING ending cast <3 |
I really don’t know where to begin, today marks the end of something that’s been the BEST part of my life. The thing is this show will ALWAYS be a part of my life. Wherever I go next, whatever I do...It will continue to guide me and INSPIRE ME. Nine years ago I was a middle schooler, who was about to graduate. All of my BEST friends were either moving or going to other high schools, I was devastated. In a few months I was going to start high school all by myself. I knew people going to my high school, but they were not my BEST friends. It wasn’t the same, and I dreaded having to go. I had never felt so alone in my life. I prayed for some kind of sign that EVERYTHING would be ok. I got it a week or so into my first week of high school. It was a brand new show airing on The WB about two HOT half brothers who played basketball. It was the perfect combination. I instantly drew to Haley and Lucas because it reminded me of me and my best guy friend. In that very episode and that very night I knew I was going to be ok. I knew this show was going to get me through all the rough times and it was going to be a very important part in my life. I knew that night that this show was something special, and I knew it was going to shape my life. I got that vibe, and boy has it changed my life. After the show started I started making new friends and reconnecting with old ones, everything turned out to be just fine. The first episode was what got my attention, but it was not until the following week on September 30th, 2003 that I was completely captivated by it. You see we got introduced to another character, Brooke Davis. She was the one I KNEW I loved right from the start. She reminded me of me and I loved that. Brooke taught me so many wonderful things over the years, and I’ve loved every storyline she’s had. This entire show has taught me so many wonderful things. Its taught me how to love, believe, dream, fight, and ultimately LIVE.
These last nine years were not easy. I went through a lot of stuff, some good, bad, tragic and some completely amazing. I got through EVERYTHING because of this show. In high school I lost 3 friends, two in car accidents and one to cancer. They were all my age or around my age. It was the first time I had lost people close to my age, and It was so hard. I didn’t talk about it, because I didn’t know how. With the help of the show, I was able to deal with those tragedies and cope. One Tree Hill was the only thing that got me through that. It got me through every heartache, loss loves, loss friendships, boy drama, friend drama, bitter fights with friends, and all the MESSY stuff. It got me through and kept me going forward. I got to attend the One Tree Hill tour my sophomore year and it was amazing. I got to see Joy, tyler, the wreckers and gavin DeGraw perform. It was amazing. I also got to meet Tyler, Joy, Sophia and Lee. It was probably one of my best nights yet!!! Best memory from my high school days.
I continued being inspired from the show the next few years and it taught me so much. I graduated high school the same week the cast did on the show, and It was kind of nice being able to do that with them. In a way they helped me get through high school and graduating together was perfect. I learned so much during the high school years on oth. I don’t remember much that I learned in high school, but boy do I remember the stuff I learned from watching oth. All of the quotes, and music always came at the perfect time. Its like Mark knew exactly what I needed to hear at the right time. His writing was impectable and so detailed in the sense that you really felt like you knew each and every cast member. I totally feel as though these characters, are real. Not in a delusional way, but in a way that their hurt, pain, joy, and happiness is all REAL. I feel like I went through all the same stuff they did with them. People tend to say this is just a show, and you shouldn’t be so attatched to something that is just a tv show. That there’s real life problems going on. Yes this is a show, but its so much more than that. Just ask the millions of fans all over the WORLD. This show got me through all my real life problems.
The biggest thing it got me through was my accident that happened 2 years ago. That was something that literally almost broke me as a person. I was driving on a still, quiet night on a tree filled road when out of no where a 100ft tree started coming down in front of me. I was thinking this cannot be happening. It didn’t seem real, but I’m a fast reactor so I put on my brakes anyways and in a matter of seconds EVERYTHING came to a complete stop. Everything went black, I thought that was it. I thought my life was over. To my suprise I opened my eyes and I was ALIVE. Not sure why or how, but I was. I must of stopped just in time. A few inches closer and I probably would not be talking to you today. I was trapped in my car which was totaled but other then a badly bruised collarbone and scratch I was ok. I didn’t know why I was saved that night, I was so confused and felt so lost. I felt the same kind of lost I felt before I started high school. I hated that feeling. Here I was alive, and should have been grateful. Instead I was questioning it, and wondering why I was SAVED. A few days later, still feeling unsure and confused I asked for a sign of some sort. I got it later that night, a new episode of oth was one and it clicked. I was meant for more and I was meant to be here. If I wasn’t here I wouldn’t be able to learn all the many more lessons oth had for me. OTH made me strong, and made me realize I matter and I’m MEANT TO BE HERE. From that night forward, I decided to live my life differently and I did. I decided I was going to only see the good, and spread kindness and hope to those I come into contact with. I decided I was going to live my life beautifully and pay it forward as much as I could. I’ve done nothing but that these last couple years. I certainly am a more stronger person, because of my accident. I would of not been able to get through my accident or any of the hardtimes in these last 9 years without OTH.
OTH has been my rock and the one thing I could always turn to. Whenever I was having a bad day I could turn to OTH and it would instantly make everything better. The same goes for music. Music and OTH are my main TWO LOVES OF MY LIFE. And I am so thankful OTH has given me some of the best songs to live by. Its given me the best playlists anyone could ever dream of having. The music has always had a purpose and a reason, and always fit perfectly. I can hear a oth song and instantly see the scene or episode its from...that’s pretty awesome. Another thing that has been pretty awesome is the people i’ve meet because of it. I’ve gotten to meet some of the castmates, but most importantly I got to meet some pretty amazing people from the oth family. These people are so very special to me, without them I would not be able to get through this show ending. I created this twitter account last may when the show was dealing with the possibilty of the rivercourt being torn down. I couldn’t imagine that happening on or off the show so I made RivercourtSML. It stands for Rivercourt saved my life. The rivercourt is the heart of the entire show and its saved so many people including me, so it felt right. I wanted an account to talk about the show, and just spread nothing but inspiring words and thoughts. I started with just 40 followers, and I wasn’t sure where it was going to go. I’m currently at 2,517 I must be doing something right. I created this account to connect with other fans and just try to spread hope. I think what I’ve enjoyed most is the tweets from people saying thank you and that i’ve inspired them or helped them through something difficult. Those mean the world to me. So if my tweets have helped you I am so incredibly happy and blessed for doing so. I’ve been told I’m a lot like Sophia and Shantel and that literally means the world. I hope to be half the woman they are one day. I still have a long way to go. I’m doing my best to be like them, because those ladies are my biggest inspirations everyday.
Sophia is my idol, has been since I was 14 and that fact that I’ve met her twice still blows my mind. She is the one person who truly made my life what it is today, her and Brooke are my EVERYTHING. I am a ballsy strong minded girl because of Brooke and that is something I am FOREVER grateful for. I also got to meet Shantel this past January along with Joy again, and India, Daphne, and Sharon. Those ladies were all incredbibly sweet and kind!!! Love them all to pieces. Getting two hugs from Shantel is something I will never forget. She gives the best hugs, ever!!! I also got to meet James back in january 2008, and Gavin back in 2009, such nice guys!!! But the nicest most humble guy I met was Chad. I met him back in December and he was everything I dreamed of. I fell in love with him at ten, and Have been a fan ever since. He knew who I was when I met him, and for that day I am truly forever grateful. I am grateful and blessed for all the cast members i’ve gotten to meet. I know so many people dream of this and to have done it myself, I know how lucky I am. None of my encounters happened in Wilmington though. They all happened in San Francisco except one that happeded in LA. Sadly I never made it to Wilmington. That breaks my heart, that I’ve never gotten to experience tree hill that way. But I can’t be upset over the things I didn’t do, that would only hold me back. So if you’ve never met the cast or have never been to wilmington, don’t let it define you as a person. It doesn’t make you more of a fan if you’ve had those experiences. We are all the BIGGEST fans of OTH. No single person is a bigger fan, we all LOVE this show, and that’s all that matters. I am so grateul for everything OTH has done for me these last 9 beautiful years.
The person I am so thankful for is MARK SCHWAHN. Because of him I’ve met so many people I love, and believed that my dreams are possible because they are. I learned that true love exisists and that when your heart breaks you need to fight like hell!!!!! I haven’t met all the cast members, but I have met Quite a few, and I am so grateful. One day I’ll meet Mark, Austin, Rob, Jana, Hilarie, Lisa, Stephen (for real, walking by and missing it doesn’t count), and others and my oth life will be complete. One day those will happen, I know it will. For now my heart is feeling slightly empty but mostly FULL!!! I’ve cried off and on for the last few weeks, but at this very moment I’m OK. OTH has made me strong, and has made me WHOLE. My life is better because OTH was in it. Surely I am going to cry like a babyyyy watching the finale tonight, but I can assure you they will be tears of strength and pure utter joy. I cannot be sad, when this show has left me a better person and has made me, me. I am going to miss the characters, the stories, Naley, Clinn, the music, the quotes, BRUCAS, the amazing voiceovers, Brooke Davis, the CODAS, Leyton, the bridge, danny boy the rivercourt, uncle keith, Brulian, Karen’s cafe....I am going to miss it all so VERY much. All of it is going to live on forever in my heart and it is going to guide me, and inspire me. I am a better person because OTH was in my life. Now as tears start to run down my pretty face, I am ready to say goodnight to OTH tonight...its only goodnight not goodbye, because in the morning it will still be in my life. There may not be new episodes, but the episodes we’ve had will live on forever, through our hearts and our dvd players.
To all the cast and crew, To the beautiful city of Wilmington and especially MARK, thank you from the bottom of my heart!! And to the OTH FAMILY I LOVE SO DEARLY WE’RE GOING TO BE OK, OTH TAUGHT US THAT. This is not the end but it is the start of “what’s next”!!! We are all better people, because oth has been a part of our world. OTH has been the BEST part of these last nine years, nine years I am so grateful for. Nine years I would not trade for anything!!!! Simply just hours now until, the last episode airs. Surely I don’t want this to end, but it has too, and I know tonigh’ts episode is bound to make everthing come to a full complete circle. Mark is a genius and has made magic happen!!! Cannot wait to continue supporting the cast and Mark in all that they do next!! We are all together, connected for life, and we are all FAMILY!!! Thank you ONE TREE HILL for EVERYTHING...I LOVE YOU MORE THAN ANYTHING!!
ALL MY LOVE,
XOXO KRISTIN ELIZABETH
@RivercourtSML
