Lorelai Gilmore is a badass, and a force to be reckoned with.
She is the epitome of what it means to be a strong, independent woman. She left her wealthy family dynasty to start her own life and raise her daughter Rory solo at age 16, and built a beautiful life for both of them. Rather than live her life with regret and blame, Lorelai took responsibility for her actions, and turned what could have been a disasterous teen pregnancy situation into an incredible bonding experience between mother and daughter. To top it off, Lorelai did so with class and sass – and perhaps a few cups of coffee along the way.
There is so much to learn from Lorelai’s character. She demonstrates, through her witty banter, love of movies and junk food, and unwavering belief in her daughter’s abilities, that life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful, and that it is so important to focus on the good. There is always something to fight for.
Lorelai shows that there can be laughter and lightheartedness amidst the chaos of life.
I am inspired by Lorelai’s relationship with her mother Emily, and how she stands her ground, despite all that has been said and done over the course of her life. The fact that Lorelai grew up being ridiculed for what made her unique, and yet never lost the fire within her to make something of herself, is remarkable. She worked her way up the ladder, went back to school, and became a businesswoman, all of her own accord. Having the conviction to take action and walk away from an emotionally absent family with nowhere to go takes serious guts, and to let them back into her life after sixteen years for the sake of her daughter’s future takes serious courage. Throughout “Gilmore Girls,” Lorelai proves herself to be a compassionate human being, and is always there for her family when needed, but she does not let her kindness get in the way of her fighting spirit. She masters the balance between assertiveness and kindness, which, in my eyes, constitutes true inner strength.
In “Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life,” Emily Gilmore, Lorelai’s mother, asks Lorelai how she could possibly get through the hard times in her life without a husband, to which she responds, “With my wonderwoman stamina, and a box of twinkies.” While Lorelai does end up marrying her longtime love Luke Danes, this quote encapsulates Lorelai’s spirit. While Lorelai longs for permanence in a her relationship, she has lived enough to know that she has the conviction to get through anything, and that she is completely capable of being her own woman.