Greetings,
On February 10, 2014, the world received some extremely sad news. Shirley Temple Black passed away at the age of 85. There is a part of my heart that is devastated at this. And, as strange as this sounds, part of me is shocked. I know she was quite elderly, and this is to be expected to happen at some point, as it happens for all of us. But there are some people without whom you cannot even imagine the world. It is impossible. As 'pie in the sky' as it seems, I think some of us just thought she would live forever. I suppose in a way she will.
I know that a lot of people have limited knowledge about Shirley. When you say her name, the first thing they think of is that adorable little movie star. It might be the only thing they ever think of. And, you know what, that is fine with me. Knowing her in only that way is more than enough. In fact, I don't doubt that she would have been fine with that as well. You could always see how extremely proud she was of everything she did as a child, and she was right to feel that way. I don't even know how many people realize what an effect she had on the whole country when she did that work. First of all, those movies came along right in the middle of the Great Depression, and though it may not have seemed like much, she could put smiles on the faces of people who probably needed them a lot. Second, the work she was a part of was kind of groundbreaking. She did a few movies with a man named Bill Robinson, wherein they did some legendary dance routines together. He was a fantastic dancer, and he was also a black man. Think about it. A black man and a little white girl, holding hands, dancing together, in the 1930's. And, as far as I know, no one really had any problem with it. Can you even imagine? Amazing. Oh, and speaking of her dancing...
So, Shirley became famous for a few things, like how adorable she was, her curls, the darling way she sang those songs. All the other things aside, even her overwhelming cuteness, this girl could DANCE. And I don't mean the way any kid can "dance". No, she could dance for real. I already mentioned Bill Robinson, but she also performed with the likes of Jack Haley and Alice Faye, and she totally kept up with them. This tiny little thing dancing with these seasoned, adult professionals, and not missing a beat. That is unbelievable to me, and, to this day, when I watch those films, I am practically mesmerized by what she could do.
Now, while everything she did as a child star is incredible, her life did not stop with Hollywood. On the contrary, she had an full and inspiring life. Most people know that Shirley was a U.S. Ambassador, but she also ran for Congress and was the first female Chief of Protocol of the United States. She was also the boards of directors for several organizations. All while being a wife and a mother. So she was one of those women who taught young girls that they could "have it all" if that's what they want.
Of course, this full life of hers wasn't always easy. Shirley went through a lot of tough times as an adult, but she somehow always made it through them. She was in a bad first marriage and was brave enough to get out of it, only to find a wonderful man, Charles Alden Black, with whom she spent fifty-four years. She also lived through a bout with breast cancer in 1972 and became one of the first women to talk about it openly, which, no doubt, helped a lot of other women. Shirley was a survivor. That is how I see her, and I always will.
You know, I can share all these things I know about her life, but it's very difficult to put into words what she meant to me and to so many people. I waited a couple of days to do this, because I had no idea what to say. And I wanted to say exactly the right thing. Maybe I have; maybe I haven't. I honestly don't know what words can do her justice. I certainly did cry for her, which counts for a lot with me, because I don't often cry when celebrities die. I suppose we all do what we can, though, to honor someone like her. I had actually been planning to devote a whole week to her in April, her birthday week, and for a moment, I almost changed my mind. But I know now that I should do it. Now more than ever, I truly want to pay tribute to this wonderful woman. Every good thing that people can say about her is exactly what she deserves. She was just an amazing woman. Shirley taught us so much about so many things, and she brought happiness to the world. For that, I will always be grateful to her and always love her.
Love and full moons,
Becky the Writer
