From the desk of Teresa Jordan, Executive Director – Right now in grocery stores there are racks of magazines with articles about Betty White turning 100. These interviews and photos took place months ago and are now published in glossy full colour, only she did not make it.
There is a lot to think about here. The articles were made in advance with the great hope and belief that Betty White would live to see 100. The stories were a celebration of her long life, well lived. And now these articles, though still interesting and inspiring, are also emotionally charged because Betty died in her sleep a few short days before the hallmark birthday.
What strikes me here is that we cannot simply stop writing articles or making plans or believing that wonderful things are going to happen just because sometimes a colossal crap load of change and crisis could sweep in unannounced. No one could write an article that started with a disclaimer that in the situation that Betty does not make it please adjust all tense about her to past. We need hope; we need to believe that the next birthday will come, that dancing will return, that love will be found again, that the worldwide pandemic will eventually fade to back page news.
Yes, the last two years have proven that many dreams have died quietly in sleep, as lock-downs, restrictions and tragedy due to this illness have surrounded us. However, a lot of great stuff happened too, and joys and triumphs still occurred… so, keep on counting on it.
Photo: AP Photo/Matt Sayles
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