My LOST Moment

TJ, 39 — Ocean View (New Jersey, USA):

Especially early on, I always wondered why more people weren’t totally freaking out and losing their cool on The Island. I guess frequent histrionics don’t make for the best storytelling, but I always appreciated when we got to see a character’s vulnerability.

In “Exodus”, Shannon is determinedly lugging this suitcase across the sand. Sayid confronts her about it and she says, “it’s too much.” Without missing a beat, Sayid says, “it won’t be too much if I carry it for you.”

Other people can be… disappointing. But Lost shows us how “nobody does it alone.” Life is an interconnected web and with that connection comes the potential for terrible pain and also, tremendous compassion and comfort.

In a world of social distancing for almost a year, Lost reminds me that when we are at our best, we can choose to help each other carry the weight when it gets to be too much.

Maggie, 14 — Portland (Maine, USA):

When I was 9 years old in the summer going into my 4th grade year, my family hosted a Fourth of July party at our camp. Family members visited, relatives came and left. After the party, my neighbor and her family had stayed a little while longer. Her, myself, and my three other sisters were bored and had nothing else to do. We were worn out from all of the swimming and running around we had been doing the entire day. So, in our living room we sat, thinking of what to do. Then, my neighbor made the suggestion that changed everything.

“Have you guys ever heard of Lost?” she asked. My sisters and I shook our heads. “We should really watch it. It’s my favorite show!” So, she turned on our ancient Wii console and turned on the pilot episode.

From the moment Jack’s eye opened, my young mind was already racing with thoughts and questions. “Why is there a man wearing a suit in the middle of the jungle? What is he running from? Does he know where he’s going?” My neighbor shushed me and said that I would find out soon. Then, I saw the plane. All of the screaming people, stumbling across the wreckage of the fuselage. Jack running around the beach to help those in need. The injured people crying for help. I knew I was far too young for such gore, but it was so captivating that I just couldn’t peel my eyes from the screen. My little sister was already out of the room, and my older sister was covering her eyes with her hands. But I just watched, so fascinated, yet so terrified, of what was happening.

As the summer went on, episode after episode was watched by my sisters and I. We came to love the characters. We laughed with them, mourned with them, and grew very close with them. Some of my sisters had eventually fallen away from the show, and by the time I had reached The End, my twin sister and I were the only ones still watching.

In the basement of our lake house, the two of us sat in silence as we watched the church fade to white and Jack’s eye flutter closed, and tears ran down my cheeks as the iconic “LOST” closed what was the best show on television.

Five years later, I still watch Lost. But now, since I am older, I have a much deeper understanding of the beautiful details that made Lost such an incredible show. It seems like the connections I made with these characters become stronger every time I watch it. Lost has so many essential lessons about love, life, destiny, faith, and, most importantly, being able to let go, like all of us viewers had to do with Lost.

There are some fans of Lost that may have just finished the show, and some others who have been watching since September 22nd, 2004, long before I began, but no matter how long we’ve been watching it for, Lost has still made an impact on all of our lives.

Steven, 20 — Mount Pleasant (Michigan, USA) :

Getting to know the background of Jack has always been insightful. In episode 20, “Do No Harm”, Jack says to Sara, “I didn’t write any vows. I’ve been trying to for a month, but I couldn’t. So I started to wonder why that was. And as time went on it only got worse, because I’m not good at letting go. Or maybe I’m afraid of what will happen if I fail. But I know one thing. I would have never been able to write anything as beautiful as what you just said. And last night, Sarah, when you were talking about the accident, you got it all wrong. I didn’t fix you. You fixed me. I love you, Sarah, and I always will.” It’s the kind of love that isn’t only understandable, but down right real. It’s the transition that Jack finally makes in the finale of acceptance that brings this side of Jack full circle.

Dane, 24 – Gainesville, Florida (USA) :

I suppose this is tied to the aforementioned “Something tells me he never got around to making that call“, but this was the first time other than obvious watercooler moments (like Locke’s toes) that I was completely floored watching the show. It was spooky. It was surprising. It was chilling. It was also the first time I was enjoyably frustrated with the show (something I got very accustomed to over the years of Lost) when Sawyer remained silent and walked away.
I think viewers then, and sadly some now, felt the show was entirely about its mysteries and mythology, and every passing second that didn’t reveal the identity of the Monster was one to complain about. But I felt then and we learned ultimately this was a character-driven show, just set on an insane island. I feel so bad for those people that were missing out on what I was being blown away by, and this scene not only embodied that but revealed to me a show that was much more than what I even thought it was. The off-island connections were not coincidences. These characters were going to suffer, succeed, fail and ultimately, learn, even from the most unbelievable sources. If even lowly Sawyer held the promise of aid for mighty Jack, this show must have terrific things up its sleeve.I vividly remember the simultaneous smashing of Jack’s foot through the dried wood and the episode’s smash to black. That moment was so exciting and moving as well, much like so many others on this show, and I am very grateful for how much fun I had over the years.

Karen, 20 – Las Vegas, Nevada (USA) :

This is the episode when they find out that one of the survivors, Ethan, was not one of the passengers on board of the plane. The show turned into a whole new direction when it came to the question “Are there others on the island?” Ethan kidnaps Claire and Charlie while Jack and Kate try to find them throughout the episode.
The moment that really got me was when they found Charlie hanging from a tree. Just the sight of that made my heart drop. They cut him loose and Jack was trying so hard to save his life. That was actually the first time the show gave me tears. I never before had cried on an episode of Lost till that scene came (Who knew later on through all the seasons I would cry more).
I felt just like Kate when Jack just started hitting him in the chest real hard. I was screaming on the inside “STOP!” Charlie was one of my favorite characters so the thought of him being dead just touched me like “Wow, these people aren’t invincible, they can die.”
Finally Charlie regained consciousness and I started smiling with tears in my eyes. After that moment I knew this show wasn’t like the rest. It was different, and I actually cared about these characters. This is probably the only show that made me cry, laugh and cheer.

Jaclyn, 17 – Morristown, New Jersey (USA) :

I was 11 years old, getting out of the shower on a random night in September. My dad called me into his office to check out the special effects of a plane crash on a new show called Lost. I walked into his office in my towel, not even pausing to dry off and I was in amazement over the plane crash from the pilot. I never missed an episode after that and my curiosity and love for the show kept growing. From then on, everything revolved around this show and even though my friends used to say it was pathetic, it really changed my life, living through the characters and feeling their emotions as though they were real. This might not be a legit moment from an episode in Lost, but I wanted to shout out to everyone who feels the same way, and say thank you to J.J., Damon, and Carlton for providing me with the best six years of television I will ever experience in my life.

Tristen, 22 – Greenville, South Carolina (USA) :

With Boone’s death, Lost turned a corner – and not just because his was the first death of a major character. As insignificant as many people see him and his death it was really anything but. Boone was my favorite character however not even I could have ever imagined the significance it held.
The way I see it: his death gave way to a new life – Aaron’s. It saved a life – Desmond’s (it resulted in Locke pounding on the hatch out of frustration, which kept Desmond from adding a second splatter to the hatch ceiling.) His death was also a major catalyst in the struggle between Jack and Locke that would span the next five seasons. Lastly, it gave us a glimpse into how the island works, in that it “demanded his life” as a sacrifice.
Arguably the most important aspect of Boone’s death would be some of his final words: “I know you made a promise. I’m letting you off the hook. Let me go, Jack.” Little did we know way back then just how significant those words would be; they essentially foreshadowed exactly how the next five seasons would play out and inevitably what it would all come down to – Jack “letting go.”