Have you ever known me to be at a loss for words? Weird concept, right? But as GUIDING LIGHT winds down with only two episodes to go after today, I find myself scrambling to articulate how I feel about the phenomenon.

I used to rush home from school to watch GL and GH at the same time. I was a habitual channel flipper, and refused to choose one show over the other. (Yes, youngsters, this was before the advent of the DVR.) I loved Harley, and laughed and grew with that character. I watched her babysit little Marah and Shayne after Reva drove off the bridge; I saw her hook up with Josh, and then eventually go on to join the police academy and fall for her gruff instructor, A.C. Mallet. I loved bad girl Blake, first in Sherry Stringfield‘s skin and then Liz Keifer‘s. Blake and Ross’ affair was electric. There are just so many characters, so many stories, that have impacted me over the years and will stay with me forever. I can’t even list them all right now because it’s too vast, it’s too much.

Saying goodbye to Springfield is like saying goodbye to someplace I’ve lived, to my neighbors and friends. Much like Natalia clutching Rafe before he boarded the bus for boot camp today, I want to grab GL and whimper, “I don’t want you to go!”

But it’s going; the Light is going out on Friday. And even though I can’t bid adieu to Harley or Alan-Michael or Lucy or a dozen other characters who couldn’t come back for this farewell week, I cherish being able to spend this week seeking closure with the existing residents of Springfield. Bye, everyone. It’s been wonderful spending 20 years with you!

originally posted on soapoperaweekly.com