Warning: Major Spoiler Alert!
Our problematic fav. Our sweet angel. Our easy-to-love baby-faced sweetheart. George O’Malley. The five seasons we got to see Bambi, Heart-In-The-Elevator Guy, Georgie, or 007, were the best seasons of our lives. I found George to be a highly inspirational character who taught me many lessons that I still live by.
1. He was honest.
Even when it made him seem weak or selfish. He was honest and tried to consistently tell the truth. When he cheated on Callie, he wanted to tell her right away. He knew when to stay quiet too though, when Callie needed him to wait. He was always honest with his friends.
2. He believed in himself when no one else would.
When he made choices we didn't agree with, he stuck to them and held his ground. This baby joined the army and told everyone the day before he reported because he had faith that he was doing the right thing. He knew he had skills as a trauma surgeon and wanted to learn faster. He was going to help people and improve himself doing it, no matter what people said.
3. He acknowledged his emotions.
He admitted when he loved Meredith, when he messed up with Callie, when he needed to let Izzie go, so on and so forth. He was in touch with what he felt and, despite the criticism Alex heaped on him for being too feminine, he kept his emotions accessible.
4. He was a loyal, amazing, defensive friend.
He always supported his friends even if he didn't really know what they were talking about. He continuously stood up for them, even if it meant he failed his intern test because he was worried about Meredith dealing with her mother's death. He sacrificed a lot in order to help his friends.
5. He learned from his mistakes.
Yes, he married Callie too quickly. Yes, he cheated. Yes, he failed his intern exam. He was human. He made mistakes. But he never repeated them. He learned from every single one. He didn't move too quickly with Izzie. He never cheated again. And when he retook his intern exam, he passed. He didn't just passively acknowledge his mistakes, but took them in and realized what he needed to change.
6. He valued his family.
Even when they showed up out of nowhere and demanded that he go hunting with them, he loved his dopey brothers and his enthusiastic dad. He was devastated when his father died and still had to take care of his family. He loved his family so much, regardless of what he said.
7. He loved with his entire heart.
8. He always tried again.
When he failed his intern exam, he could've quit and not gone back to repeat. He could have stopped falling for people after Meredith rejected him. But he kept trying until he died. No matter how badly he was hurt by others or himself, he continued to try and didn't let fear hold him back.
George taught me about fear, vulnerability, love, devastation, loyalty, and sacrifice all in five short seasons. His death, while it wrecked my heart in a way that may never recover, allowed me to practice his attitude, and I healed. Then Shonda Rhimes hit us with the season six finale, and we were glad George never had to see the destruction that faced Seattle Grace that day. RIP George O'Malley.
