Where Everybody Knows Your Name

The 80s sitcom “Cheers” set a high standard for living in community. Even the guest stars appeared to be very much at home on the show. It’s an idealized portrayal of something we’re all desiring.

Sam Malone, the bartender, owned and managed the bar, and he was a friend to all, yet Norm and Cliff, Carla, and Frasier all played a part in each other’s lives, and Diane, especially, was there for Sam. 

I see myself as a bartender, and everything I pour is love.

Imagine that show in the time of COVID. How likely is it that Cliff, the postman, would be an anti-vaxxer? He knew more about everything than anyone, with little space for nuance. 

But the writers did not aim for irreconcilable differences. “Cheers” was a refuge. 

We can all have a “Cheers” and should refuse to abandon our expectations. Life circumstances may try to harden you, but precious people rely on you to stay tender, including people you have yet to meet.