When Lost premiered in the fall of 2004, I was a relatively new dad with two little boys who were far more interested in "SpongeBob Squarepants" than an existential drama that began with a big plane crash. So I watched that pitch-perfect, eye-opening first episode of Lost all alone, while my wife read a book and our kids slept peacefully.
For me, that first night of Lost was the beginning of what's become an enduring obsession, and a rather magnificent obsession at that. More than any other show in recent memory, Lost required our full attention and rewarded that sort of dedicating viewing with its singular elusive excellence.
All these years later, I look forward watching the final episode of Lost Sunday night at a party in our neighborhood with my two sons, who are now young men even more obsessed with making sense of the show than I am. I'm guessing that my wife will still be reading a book, but perhaps we can all convince her to watch the final moments with us. It's never to late to convert.
However things turn out on the Island Sunday night, I want to offer my heartfelt thanks to absolutely everyone who gave us Lost, including J.J. Abrams, Carlton Cuse, Damon Lindelof, Jack Bender, Matthew Fox and the entire cast and crew. In so doing, you brought to life a TV show that is unforgettable -- and nearly as mysterious as life itself.
LET'S GET LOST - Chet Baker
LOST CAUSE - Beck
ISLAND IN THE SUN - Weezer
CHANGE THE LOCKS - Lucinda Williams
MAN IN BLACK - Johnny Cash
LOST ONE - Jay-Z
LOST! - Coldplay
THE LOVE I LOST - Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes
CRASH LANDING - The Rubinoos
FEEL LIKE A NUMBER - Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band
ISLAND GIRL - Elton John
LOST AND FOUND - Brooks & Dunn
THE LOST CHILDREN - Michael Jackson
LOST - Cassandra Wilson
LOST - Faith Hill
JACK - Tom Petty
KATE - Ben Folds Five
JAMES - Billy Joel
FLASH - Queen
LOST WEEKEND - Lloyd Cole & The Commotions
LOST HORIZONS - Gin Blossoms
BROTHER, WHERE YOU BOUND - Supertramp
JACOB'S LADDER - Huey Lewis & The News
LOST IN THE SUPERMARKET - The Clash
MUSTA GOT LOST - J. Geils Band
DEAD & GONE - T.I. featuring Justin Timberlake
TIME PASSAGES - Al Stewart
99 PROBLEMS - Hugo
THIS NIGHT WON'T LAST FOREVER - Sawyer Brown
LOST & FOUND - The Kinks
MAD WORLD - Tears For Fears
LOST - Little Big Town
LOST WITHOUT YOU - Bebe & Cece Winans
LOST & FOUND - Will Smith
SOUL DOCTOR - Foreigner
LOST - Katy Perry
LOST - Meat Puppets
LOST WITHOUT YOU LOVE - Bread
LOST IN YOUR EYES - Debbie Gibson
LOST - The String Cheese Incident
LOST - Michael Buble
LOST - The Cure
LOST - Jimmy Herring
LOST IN THIS MOMENT - Big & Rich
MAKE YOUR OWN KIND OF MUSIC - Mama Cass Elliot
Now go ahead and "Make Your Own Kind Of Music" by adding your songs to get "Lost" to now.