Meredith Grey is a complicated woman. Audiences have been following the title character of the renowned ABC medical drama, Grey's Anatomy, has been through a lot and, then, some more.
Losses and gains have made Grey dark and twisty, as her friends call her in the show's third season. And as a dark and twisty person, it's no wonder she can give some excellent life advice and say some things no one should ever consider.
Good advice: "Cause You Never Think That The Last Time Is The Last Time. You Think There Will Be More. You Think You Have Forever, But You Don't."
This is a truth bomb, but aren't they, usually, the best advice? In the second season, episode 16, "It's The End Of The World," Meredith has a feeling that death will come her way. Thankfully, that bad prophecy never comes true, but the advice stands, and it serves people of all ages, conditions, and life stories.
No one truly knows when they'll die, and we cannot postpone doing what truly makes us happy and complete. Because our lives are fragile and they can end at any time, so seize the day, not irresponsibly, but as if it's your last.
Bad Advice: "More Tequila, More Love, More Anything. More Is Better."
This is not bad advice only because it's coming from the same person who is wasted on tequila, lying on a bathroom floor complaining about the opposite sex. It is also bad because it encourages excess and abuse in a society where addiction is a common problem affecting millions of people.
Substance abuse is as problematic as any other kind of abuse, including food, love, sex, gambling. Meredith Grey knows better and should not encourage the idea that "More Is Better."
Good Advice: "Boundaries Don't Keep Other People Out; They Fence You In."
We are all afraid of getting hurt. And, in life, the people around us sometimes let us down. But that's no excuse to stop letting people in. Be it a friendship or a romantic relationship, we all need others to enrich our life experience.
Grey's quote from the second episode in the very first season is right on point because it defies the idea of safety inside an isolated comfort zone. Being alone might keep you from experiencing heartbreaks, but it will also keep you away from the joy of sharing your life.
Bad advice: "We Have To Sweep Today's Possibility Under Tomorrow's Rug Until We Can't Anymore."
The sixth episode of the first season is about the days ahead. And Meredith begins by quoting Benjamin Franklin's "Never Leave Till Tomorrow That Which You Can Do Today." But by the end of the episode, she concludes that we have to see for ourselves the consequence of not doing something to truly understand the meaning of Franklin's words.
But that's not correct, nor a good life lesson. There's a reason why smart quotes transcend generations, is to make us think and learn by the experience and insight of others.
Good advice: "Change Is Constant. How We Experience Change That's Up To Us."
Short and simple, this quote from the first episode in season 7 says it all. We can't control many aspects of our lives and the people around us; all we can do is deal with the changes that life brings. But what makes all the difference in our happiness is how well we accept and try to overcome the new challenges.
In the post-shooting episode "With You, I'm Born Again," Grey's whole speech is based on the constant change in science, sometimes invisible, but always present. A beautiful metaphor for life.
Bad advice: "I Feel Like One Of Those People Who Are So Freaking Miserable, They Can't Be Around Normal People."
Yes, we feel bad for Meredith Grey when she shares with Dr. Karev this sad statement in season 2, episode 9. But that's terrible advice from the infamous doctor. Being miserable, either pathologically or psychologically, should not keep anyone from being around people they care about.
And, more importantly, who cares about them. In fact, it's quite the opposite. For too long, sadness has been treated as a chosen condition; but most of the time, it is not. Like breaking a bone, depression needs to be treated professionally because everyone deserves to be happy and healthy.
Good Advice: "I Think It's Important To Take The Time To Tell The People You Love How Much You Love Them While They Can Still Hear You."
Doctors deal with mortality daily. They lose patients and watch as families and friends lose their loved ones. No wonder Meredith Grey is good at advising people on how to really use the time they have to express themselves and their feelings.
In season 5's finale, this life lesson is professed. And everyone should take the time to carefully understand its true meaning. When you love someone - a partner, a mother, a brother - don't waste your time fighting or being self-conscious about what you feel. Because one day they will be gone. So make the time and take the time to say you love them.
Bad advice: "That's Where Love Exists: In Delusional Fantasies."
In season 4, episode 15, Meredith and Derek can't agree on when to remove a patient's brain tumor. Derek wants to wait for the patient's alleged lover, but Meredith believes the lover to be a fantasy.
And that's when she says this sad and untrue quote about love. Hopefully, no one took this one to heart because it is not a lesson anyone should consider. Love exists in many forms and shapes, and it should never be considered a symptom of delusional fantasy.
Good advice: "Never Give In, Never Give Up. Stand Up. Stand Up And Take It."
This quote from episode 12, season 10, is about failure. And Meredith is spot on in her take on how to deal with it. We can't always win, we can't control all the variants in our professional and personal goals, and sometimes, we're pushed back.
It's normal, and we need to accept that it happens. But we must never give up in the face of failure. If life doesn't go as we want or expect, we need to stand up, take it, and move on. Because that's how life is, and all we can do is our best to be happy living.
Bad advice: "She's So Full Of Feelings All The Time. Why Can't She Just Cram Them Down And Shut Up Like Everybody Else?"
Stressed out about Owen and Amelia's wedding, Meredith confesses to Alex what she wishes Amelia would do with her emotions. This advice would not only be bad to Amelia but to anyone else who would follow it.
Cramming down feelings and not expressing them is bad for one's mental and physical health, and no sane doctor should ever say this, not even to a close friend. Emotions are part of being human and should be dealt with properly because when shoved inside, they are doomed to come out in its worst form and cause a lot of damage.
