Healthy Relationships
For an assignment in my health class my senior year we were to write a short essay on an example of a healthy relationship. Seeing as I had no examples in my personal life to write about, I decided to write about Jim and Bones.
Healthy relationships consist of mutual respect, trust, honesty, support, and playfulness. In Star Trek, Captain James T. Kirk and Chief Medical Officer Leonard H. “Bones” McCoy of the U.S.S Enterprise are really good friends. Seeing as they both work together as two senior officers; they have to have mutual respect and trust for each other in order for things to work smoothly on board the Enterprise. Captain Kirk typically asks for Dr. McCoy’s opinion frequently when they are in conferences. Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy seek each other out when they have a problem. Captain Kirk tries not to drop his problems on Dr. McCoy, but Dr. McCoy seeks him out to give him support when he senses his friend is having a hard time. Captain Kirk has gotten better over the years about seeking the good doctor out himself. They both had trouble opening up to each early in their relationship, considering they both have trust issues, but they’ve gotten better. Dr. McCoy is always there to patch Captain Kirk up and Captain Kirk lessens Dr. McCoy’s overall grumpiness. They do tease each other quite a bit in regards to choices they make or things about them that the other pretends annoys them but they actually find endearing. Dr. McCoy has said that he is Captain Kirk’s “friend, personal bartender, confidant, counselor, and priest".
The Enterprise crew is a family if there ever was one. The positive relationship between Captain Kirk and Dr. McCoy has impacted the lives of those on board. Dr. McCoy acts as Captain Kirk’s conscience and therapist. They balance each other out and under their guidance the Enterprise is known as one of the healthiest and driven ships in the fleet. The crew love and support each other therefore they have less stress, are healthier. They are able to treat each other and those outside of the family with compassion and respect. The crew has a sense of shared responsibility, trust, and knowledge of what is right and wrong. The individuals of the crew learn these qualities on board the Enterprise, and are able to take that with them when they are on a mission. The community can witness their behaviors and learn from them.
