All My Children...Love, Loss, Revival: Valentine's, Funerals, and Babe is Alive

As is their m.o. for holidays, soap storylines incorporate themes suitable for the occasion. i must applaud All My Children for getting Valentine's Day absolutely right. Sweet without being so sugary that one would be in danger of getting a cavity just from watching. And for pagan me, the true meaning of the holiday---L O V E. Not just romantic love between adults; but platonic love, first love, bittersweet love, love of parent for child and child for parent, love for siblings, and love for those who have moved on to whatever plane goes beyond the mortal one we know.

Which segues us to the Loss portion of this post's heading. i must say bravo to AMC on the funeral for Dixie and Babe. Firstly the outdoor setting was a nice change of pace. Let's be honest, the ritual of the funeral is primarily not so much to honor the deceased, although that is clearly a factor. It's primary [and primal] function is a cathartic for the survivors. 'Kids'[an old acquaintance's pet name for AMC] again, got it right. i'd seen some posts on other's message boards questioning/judging the decollete, and in general costuming choices for the female castmembers. Speaking from personal observations at real life services, i would say 90% of prep time of the majority of the female mourners rivals that of the mortitian's work on the dear departed only in terms of needing fewer cosmetics, with perfume spritzing often vying for the olfactory senses over that of the fragrance factor of the tributory bouquets. So for me, the make-up and costumes were demure and low-key by comparison. i don't say that as a chop towards those whom i know, just callin' 'em as i've seen 'em folks.

Anyway, as i was saying, 'kids' got the funeral right. We were allowed to know what those who were being mourned meant to each of those in attendance. Men were not ashamed to cry. Michael E. Knight's [Tad Martin] scenes were especially touching.
Friends shared how each of the deceased had touched their hearts and lives. Some quietly meditated and wept---Chrishell Strause [Amanda Dillon] broke my heart. Krystal tried to stay strong but ultimately grief broke her down. Jeffrey Carlson's Zoe's acapella left not a dry eye.

Revival---as yours truly told y'all, Babe ain't dead after all.

i guess there's going to be a lot of fallout when Krystal, J.R. and the rest who weren't in on the ruse discover the happy albeit startling truth.