Like many people out there, I loved One Tree Hill growing up. It had everything a successful television show should have - drama, romance and heart. From Lucas's insightful quotes, Brooke's sassy nature and the unstoppable Naley (Nathan and Haley for all you newbies!), One Tree Hill never failed to entertain me. But even after all these years, there is still one story line that I can not understand or even being to comprehend. One storyline that I will never be able to truly accept.
Before I start venting, let me paint the picture for you. It was Season 2. Haley and Nathan are trying to figure out their marriage as young teenagers, alongside school and their respective careers. While Nathan continues to work hard towards his basketball career, Haley purses a career in music. Along the way, Haley meets Chris Keller - an unbelievably talented artist, but an arrogant soul who keeps flirting with her - despite the fact she's married. Long story short - when Haley considers going on a worldwide tour alongside Chris Keller, Nathan becomes angry with her and declares she should choose between him and her music career. Basically giving her the ultimate ultimatum.
Even after all these years, I still can't understand why on earth Haley had to choose. Why did Nathan decide to divorce Haley for choosing her dream - the thing that made her who she was? Why did Haley received so much stigma and disapproval from her friends, when she decided to go on tour that summer? Seriously - what was so wrong with Haley wanting to pursue her career? This tour was a once in a lifetime opportunity, which would help her grow as an artist and an individual.
We live in the 21st century for heaven-sake! Women can have careers and the love of their lives. They don't have to sacrifice one for the other. Singing was Haley's passion from a young age - before she knew Nathan, and certainly before she married him. Just as Basketball was for him. Without her passions, her career - her own identity outside of Nathan, Haley would become someone else other than the person Nathan fell in love with. In order to grow as an individual and stay sane, you need your own identity outside of a relationship with a partner. It's not healthy to be solely and entirely devoted to one person - regardless of what anyone tells you. You begin to lose who you are in the process if you do, and that would have been very damaging for both Nathan and Haley.Even though the situation was addressed in season 4 by Nathan himself, who said 'It shouldn't have been either or, what is this the 1950s?", that doesn't truly make up for it. After all this time - it still continues to bug me. I don't know if I can truly get over it. I really wished Mark Schwahn hadn't taken that route.
What do you think about the situation? Any thoughts you'd like to share?
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