Every Story Has a Tombstone

I have come to realize that people in general hate endings. You know, endings of book sagas, endings of TV shows with longevity, endings of comic book series (to name a few). I have found more often than not, people give me negative reviews on endings. They're never satisfied, and oftentimes quite angry with the author or director. Then I read the last book or watch the last episode and wonder why they were so disappointed. I have given this much thought and I think I have come up with an explanation to this astounding difference of opinion.

People hate endings. Endings are so final, like death. And in a sense, endings are deaths. The deaths of characters we've grown attached to, the deaths of settings we've longed for, and the deaths of stories we've invested in. People are reluctant to let go and move on. And instead of admitting this, people badger the authors and directors for making poor choices with the way they ended their stories. They lament the fact that the ending was not what they expected and the creators did not take their advice and ideas about how to end it all.

While I am at times sad that endings are inevitable (even to the most beloved characters and intriguing stories), I tend to approach the ending with an openness of mind, trusting the creator to do his/her creation justice in the end (after all, I've trusted them long enough to get as far as the ending). And when I approach endings in that way, I am able to understand the creator's reasons and purposes behind the ending.

As a result, I am rarely disappointed. Yes, I may shed a tear as I close the book, or sigh farewells as I click off the TV, but I rarely join the rampage of fans unwilling to say goodbye.