10 hard truths from the finale of How I Met Your Mother

* Spoiler alert *

The recent finale of HIMYM was quite a disappointment. I would go so far as to say that it ruined the best parts I love about the show – Barney’s confession of his love for Robin and the willingness to settle down, then back to his usual self. 🙁 But to give the show some credit, it raises several hard truths about growing up, which may be difficult to stomach but may hit us sooner than we realise it.

10 hard truths from the finale of How I Met Your Mother

1. Magical endings don’t last forever

It’s true. Unlike those lovely Disney films, the ending of HIMYM is an actual depiction of realities. Take Ted’s love with the Mother. It’s sweet, unyielding, but at the same time, it ended (possibly with her on a hospital bed). Magical moments do happen, but they are not forever.

2. Life in 2014, will be drastically different from that in 2024, and 2034, and over time we may lose our friends

But as Robin puts it in her parting note to Lily, “it doesn’t have to be a bad thing. There are so many wonderful stuff happening in our lives right now. Enough to be grateful for. But the five of us hanging out at Mclarens, being young and stupid, is just not one of those things.”

As we grow older, we have more responsibilities and priorities. And sometimes, because of differences in perspectives and direction will mean that some friends will leave your radar, quite possibly forever.

If you’re the sort who hangs out at bars until 2am on Friday nights, chances are, just like Marshall, Ted and eventually Barney, you’ll be heading home at 9.45pm when you have a babyyy.

3. Love can destroy friendships 

It’s true. When a couple in a group get together and they break up, the dynamics of the group changes forever, and one person disappears from the group completely.

4. For some, marriage doesn’t mean happily ever after

The whole season 9 was built on the lead up to Barney and Robin’s wedding. Robin was so afraid, especially when her mother shared how her father had so many characteristics like Barney. My question is, why put so much effort and blitz to showcase Barney and Robin’s Farhampton wedding, when its lifespan is only three years?

5. Reformed persons can always revert to be jackasses

The most touching moment for me was when Barney got together with Robin, and eventually proposed. It was like, this dude has finally woken up from his stupor. But who knows, just three years into their marriage, they broke up and Barney went back to his amusing but sad ways.

6. Players don’t get happy endings 

Of the four, Barney seems to be the least happy person at the end of the series. He’s in a relationship with a random girl No 31, not one of his choice. And while he seems happy to have a baby girl, Barney’s life seems a tad sad compared to Ted’s – someone who had a blissful married life, two kids and is now about to be together with Robin.

7. For women, career and family don’t go together

I must admit this is quite a sweeping statement. But it is a big challenge for career-minded women to have families. Just look at Robin – her career as brought her to countries all over the world, at the expense of her relationship with Barney. We see her still single in 2030, living with five dogs like what she did in the past.

8. Dogs are a woman’s best friend

What do you do when you’re a single, lonely lady in her fifties? Just like Robin, you might want to consider getting a dog. Many dogs. They help to keep you occupied, and most importantly, they are much more easier to manage than humans.

9. There is no such thing as a soul mate

Yeap, there’s not one person that is meant for you in this world. There could be more than one person, at different stages of your life, if you’re as lucky as Ted. Who had Robin, the Mother and then Robin again. The decision lies with you, to make someone your soul mate, or not.

10. We never forget the ones we love 

Love is like a disease. You can’t just unlove someone at will. You can’t just forget about the person even though you know they are happy with someone else. Just like how Ted had not forgotten about Robin, after so many years.

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While I think that HIMYM could have ended on a more positive note, it’s quite a true reflection of reality. Things like how marriages don’t last, how difficult it is to balance a career and family life, and how love can destroy friendships are hard truths in life that we’ll have to live with as we grow up. Friends are not forever, but love is. Only if we make an effort.