For Better or For Worse

Most of you know that I read every comic on the comic page of the paper most every day. My paper has only one page of comics but it's in color. I prefer other big city papers that have more comics in black and white.

Some comics are so clever and have such insight into human nature that they give me more life lessons than a lot of the other stuff I read every day. Comics like "Get Fuzzy," and "Pearls Before Swine" are cutting edge.

Older comics like "Zits," "Sally Forth" and "Doonesbury" give us a daily look into real life - especially family life.

One of my very favorite comics came to an end yesterday. For 29 years "For Better or For Worse" has given us a unique insight into real family life - in real time. We've lived through three generations of life with the Pattersons. We've seen the death of loved ones, (we learned to love them as well) births, broken love affairs, homosexuality, job loss, job triumphs, bad landlords,teen angst and much, much more. Through it all Ellie and John Patterson remained the strong, steady rock that only a solid marriage can create.

Yesterday the creator of "For Better or For Worse," Lynn Johnson, gave us the unusual gift of wrapping up the lives of each of the main characters. Very, very moving.

And here's the best news! The strip started all over again this morning. So, apparently, it's ours to enjoy again for the next 29 years.


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