Happy Endings in Binah

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 6022

Yes I was disappointed. I can totally see myself as Leba in a couple of years and I was looking forward to reading about her working through her issues in a mature way. I guess I'm too optimistic about these things...

Senior Member Joined: Jan 14 2011 Posts: 126

I was also really surprised and disappointed that it ended so early! I was enjoying the story and was impressed that Binah was brave enough to discuss this topic. I guess back under the rug it goes.

Executive Member Joined: Jun 26 2010 Posts: 364

Dear Binah,

Thank you so much for pulling "Happy Endings" from your otherwise wonderful magazine. Each week, I tried to flip past it without reading it, but my yetzer hara was too strong. And each time I read it, I found myself thinking, "Yeah! Being a mother is just not worth it!" After a month of this, I actually bought a one-way ticket to Maui - I can't believe I let it get this far! - and was ready to leave it all behind.

Well, Baruch Hashem, I came to my senses this week, when you ended that pernicious story. I canceled my ticket and I'm staying right here with my rotten little monsters. Thank you so much for having the integrity to stay away from controversial issues like women working on themselves and trying to become better mothers. May I suggest that in future you stick to topics like cake decorating and poems about tefilla.

Sincerely,
iluvy

Posted: Thu, Mar 29 2012, 9:58 pm Post subject: Re: re: Happy Endings in Binah

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 6022

lol... poems about tefila, perfect

Posted: Thu, Mar 29 2012, 10:04 pm Post subject: re: Happy Endings in Binah

wait a minute, I get it that publications dont get all instalments of serials at once, so they cant know the wording , but they surely knew the basic storyline, no?

so what happened now? and what happened all other times with various magazines? how does this work?

Moderator Joined: Jun 05 2011 Posts: 3392

Silver Member Joined: May 09 2010 Posts: 609

I'm glad I'm not the only one who was disappointed that the serial ended so abruptly! I think this is an issue that needs to be discussed and one that, if people are going through it, they don't necessarily know that they are totally normal. I agree with you, tziggelle. This is a WOMEN's magazine, as it says on the cover. Interestingly, when readers protested too much exposure in one particular article (a few years ago, I think about nursing) this was the magazine's response. And now they themselves are retracting a good story because of sensitive issues.

I am unsure as to what the sensitive issues were that made them end the story, but if it was the fact that Leba was "complaining" about her kids when there are so many women struggling to get pregnant in the first place, here's what I have to say: Yes, infertility is a much scarier and perhaps more difficult thing to endure, BUT depression and finding it hard to cope with one's children is something that although many people cannot understand it, is extremely frightening and leaves the victim feeling desolate and very, very alone. I am not going to equate it, c"v, but that doesn't mean that people who are going through it should continue to feel down and incompetent and frustrated. They need to go for help. There is a very well written serial about IF in the same magazine in which the author said years ago IF was a taboo subject and not something people normally discussed so much. Now that there are organizations and support groups and people are generally more open about it, those going through it are at least having the nechamah of having people to share their pain with. I think that this story was bringing awareness, not simply being insensitive to any parties. Women deserve to know that certain situations require going for help for. If they continue to go on this way, misery becomes the only path. This is not the way it should be.

Posted: Thu, Mar 29 2012, 10:21 pm Post subject: re: Happy Endings in Binah

do you think if we bombard binah with letters they will bring the serial back? ( ftr, I havent read this week's installment yet)

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 6022

Amen, milchigs. You can't compare issues, but it should definitely be validated that depression or whatever Leba was going through is its own type of hell. In fact because of all the PR that IF gets these days, I think people who have difficulties in pregnancy or childrearing feel even more invalidated because they have to keep hearing the message that if you have kids, you have nothing to complain about. Everyone gets their own package in life and nobody gets a free ride. Emotional pain is HARD.

Diamond Member Joined: Dec 28 2005 Posts: 4696

I am also sorry to see it go - I enjoyed it!

I highly highly doubt that the senstive issues that led them to essentially pull the serial were because of women experiencing infertility. I actually thought it was the shidduch part and the engagement that was almost broken due to the support issue. That's a highly controversial issue.

Platinum Member Joined: Jun 30 2009 Posts: 8274

After the chosson said he'll have to think about what his kallah told him vis a vis the finances, what was his reply?

(I don't know what week's issue that was in, so if it's this week's, please write *spoiler alert* to alert posters here.)

Posted: Sun, Apr 01 2012, 12:24 am Post subject: re: Happy Endings in Binah

I thought the story was pulled because of the issue between Aryeh and Aliza - the idea of parents supporting a Ben Torah forever or Ben Torahs only looking to marry money. The stressed-out/depressed mom theme has beeen going on since the beginning of the story, whereas the Aliza/Aryeh issue had just broken. Binah's claim was that they didn't want to give the wrong impression to women of different backgrounds.

For the record, that letter from the smug and self-righteous women about how Leba should count her blessings got be SO SO SO MAD!!!!! Shooting Arrow

I felt like writing a letter saying how it's women like her that cause all these problems ('how come everyone can cope and I can't and there must be something wrong with me if I need help')
_________________
Everything is in the hands of heaven, except for fear of heaven

Silver Member Joined: May 09 2010 Posts: 609

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 01 2005 Posts: 17096

It was more of an issue that the teeens wwho read Binah - an they do! - were getting a pretty negative/depressing message about parenting small kids/large families, sense of identity as a mother, etc.. I personally don't think it's that big a deal but I believe that was the chief concern.
_________________
http://www.autism-parenting.com

Platinum Member Joined: Aug 01 2005 Posts: 17096

P.S..... I know this might be giving away the ending, but I'm the writer of the IF series Smile

(which has nothing to do with Happy Endings)

Platinum Member Joined: Oct 14 2009 Posts: 6022

Posted: Sun, Apr 01 2012, 6:02 am Post subject: Re: re: Happy Endings in Binah

Posted: Sun, Apr 01 2012, 6:06 am Post subject: Re: re: Happy Endings in Binah

Gold Member Joined: Oct 20 2010 Posts: 1712