Life Lessons From Andy Griffth

I love the old Andy Griffith shows. I think I’ve seen every episode several times but I never get tired of it. 

A few years ago, my Mother-in-Law was in a long-term care facility. I would go visit in the afternoons. The residents would be gathered in the common area watching the Andy Griffith Show. Perhaps the show reminded them of the way things used to be.

The show originally aired in the 1960s and followed the life of a small town Sheriff, Andy Taylor. The little fictional town was Mayberry and it seemed so perfect. Those of you who grew up in Kernersville, probably remember it being much like Mayberry.

Almost everything one needs to know in life can be learned from that show. Andy is a widower raising his son Opie with the help of his Aunt Bee. He has a deputy named Barney Fife that is quite a character. Andy spends much of his time, teaching Opie and sharing wisdom that is so simple and yet so genius. 

The Sheriff, Andy, carries no gun. His deputy Barney carries a gun but has only 1 bullet… in his pocket. Not in the gun.

The focus of the show is the importance of family and friends in the community. There is also a focus on honesty, hard work, never giving up and treating everyone with kindness. 

Andy’s “laid back” “level-headed character” always has a plan for every issue that might arise. And every episode has a lesson to be learned. Andy seems to be able to talk sense into everyone and diffuse any situation with his calm demeanor and his ability to help everyone look at the problem from the other’s point of view.

Barney happens to be Brag a lot and tends to stretch the truth. He’s impulsive and sometimes acts before he thinks. In show after show, Andy takes charge and teaches Barney a valuable lesson about honesty, forgiveness and being trustworthy. He also finds subtle ways to get Barney out of trouble and manages to make it seem as if Barney has solved the problem himself.

Mayberry is a very quiet place and everybody knows everybody. After church on Sunday, there’s  Sunday dinner at the Taylor house. Sometimes they make homemade ice cream and Andy plays his guitar and sings a little. They always sit on the front porch. 

There were a few episodes in which a wealthy businessman or prominent person was passing through town and it just happened that his car broke down. He’s irritable and rude and not happy to be stuck in this “hick” town. Andy changes his outlook and behavior with kindness and hospitality. The visitor learned a valuable lesson about slowing down his pace and “smelling the roses” as he passed by.

Many episodes were focused on the father son relationship. Andy taught Opie about responsibility and hard work. Opie wrecked his bike showing off and Andy insisted that he pay to get it repaired by taking a job. Andy taught Opie about the importance of admitting when you make a mistake or do something stupid and then make it right. Like the time Opie broke a window with a baseball. 

Then there was one of my favorite shows in which Opie taught Andy a valuable lesson. Opie described to his dad a man who swings in the trees, wears a shiny hat and jingles named Mr. McBeevee. Andy thought it was Opie’s imagination, but Opie continued to insist. Andy finally relented and told Opie he believed him. He really didn’t. You should have heard his reasoning for saying he believed him. He explained to Barney that many times he asked Opie to believe things that must be impossible for him to believe. An example, this punishment will hurt me more than it does you.

Andy went out to the forest and called for Mr. McBeevee and he answered. Andy was never so glad to see anyone in his life. His trust in Opie was justified and Opie was telling the truth.

Simple lessons in life are the best kind. We remember them forever.

Just a side note. I think the problem today is, we have no front porches anymore to sit on and shoot the breeze with family and neighbors and talk things out. Lots of the world’s problems could be solved if we tried that again.