The Most Important Lessons I’ve Learned from Derek Morgan
A Farewell Tribute to Shemar Moore – You will be greatly missed
By: Amy Faux
For those of you familiar with the show Criminal Minds, you’ll know very well that one of the best characters on that show is, without a doubt, Derek Morgan. Today I learned that Shemar Moore, who plays Derek, has filmed his last episode for Criminal Minds and it aired yesterday (3/23/16). So naturally I watched it this morning while getting ready for class and I cried….a lot. I reflected on why I loved Derek so much, besides the fact that he’s hot, and thought about all of the lessons he has taught me along the way.
Don’t give up.
Derek’s life was filled with nothing but obstacles. His father died when he was young, he hurt his knee in college, which ended his football career and he was the victim of brutal attacks multiple times. That never stopped him. He knew that he was there to do good and nothing was going to get in the way, not even death.
You don’t have to be strong.
- Derek was always known to be a very private individual. He never talked much about his family or his history. The past was the past to him and he didn’t want anyone to judge him for things that happened. But when the situation demanded it, he let himself open up and trust his team. He showed his weaknesses and let the team carry him through tough times. It took a lot for him, but he realized that you can’t go through life without a support system. You don’t have to be strong all the time when you have people to catch you when you fall.
Family doesn’t have to mean blood.
One of Derek’s best attributes is how much he cares. He has always said that his team was family to him. He could count on them for anything and in return he was always there for them. Family doesn’t have to be blood-deep. In his final episode Derek said that Reid was the best little brother he could have ever asked for. When you care enough, your friends become your family.
Find your passion.
- Derek learned at an early age that there were bad guys in the world that needed to be stopped and decided that he was going to be the one to stop them. It truly made him feel good to know that he was helping people and saving their lives. Not all of us have goals in life that are that daring and ambitious but we have things that make us feel good and important. It’s so important to find what it is that makes your life worth living.
Love comes in many forms.
- Love is the way you playfully flirt and banter with your best friend (I’m talking to you “Baby Girl Nation”). Love is the way you protect your team from harm. Love is the way you get angry when someone from the team dies. Love is the orders you take from your boss and the way you disobey them when you know judgment has been clouded. Love is the lengths you will go just to make someone’s day. Love is how hard you work to get justice for family. Love is putting a blanket over someone who is sleeping so they don’t get cold. Love is the little things and the big things.
Know when it’s time to let go.
- With a new marriage and a new baby, priorities sometimes need reset. Now, it may not be these exact life events, but any change constitutes some sacrifice. During his years at the BAU, Derek has had many girlfriends or dates but he knew Savannah was the one. He realized that he was never going to have better and he wanted to be with her for the rest of his life. Commitments require sacrifices. Derek knew that it was time to say goodbye to the BAU in order to pursue a new career: a father and a husband. Our dreams don’t last forever but when one door closes, another is open and waiting for us.
So here’s to one last hoorah for my favorite FBI profiler. Congratulations to Shemar Moore on his amazing performance for the past 11 seasons and good luck in your next adventure. However, just know that you are the reason I’m going to be all out of wine by the end of the night.