The highlight of one of many trips to New York I’ve made was watching Bette Middler perform her one woman show at Radio City.
She was a typhoon of an act, funny, strong , exhausting, and genuine
Her smiling and brave performance at the 9/11 memorial is a tour de force of smiling bravely .
Watch her singing in video.
No self pity
No emotional romping
She grabs the song’s importance by the scruff of the neck and delivers it with the broadest of smiles
It’s the bravest performance I’ve ever seen.
And it galvanised a nation and part of the world.
I see such bravery every day.
The daughter of a patient who refuses to back down in her advocacy
The friend who is facing cancer again who shoots out with a sassy comment with steel blue teary eyes
Another friend who sees their spouse fading, raising their chin to all observers
A lonely person who joins a village group without self pity,
An old Welsh terrier, refusing to bow to semi blindness
Mr Posňan walking all the way to the village hall to check the building works despite the pain in his hips
A villager who has endured 100 eye injections without ever complaining to the internet audience
We all see such bravery every day
That urge and need to set one foot in front of another
To march on
So very true, John, so very, very true.
ReplyDeleteI'm in tears and cannot stop crying. Bette is a treasure still.
Big hugs!
Smiling bravery , I do see it daily
DeleteI thought those were the darkest days here--but then there is now.
ReplyDeleteI understand
DeleteSo very horribly true, Lizzy D. VOTE!!
DeleteHugs!
Oh squire,
ReplyDeleteI lived through 9/11 from my upper west side apartment
My mother cried for days
We smelled the smell of rubble
The memorial lifted us. Bette lifted us
Oprah lifted us
I have been transported back then and I miss my mom
Lee
Oh Lee , big hugs you sassy broad
DeleteJohn,
ReplyDeleteYour ability to link the great with the ordinary
The world with Trelawnydd
Wonderful
In tears
Keith
Xx
Bravery is universal me thinks , you and your caring for your dad comes to mind x
DeletePrecisely so. Nothing braver than everyday courage - and not because you don't have the choice. Life is all about change, about dealing with it, about just getting on with things. Because life may well be a bitch and then you die, but that doesn't mean you have to lose yourself in the process and succumb to anything other than the end thing.
ReplyDeleteKeep seeing, keep encouraging, keep smiling and making other people smile. As I write this, my words are alongside that gorgeous photo of Freya and Mary. Which says it all, really.
You write beautifully Liz and you made me tear up , with this reply
DeleteYes. Thank you for seeing the courage in others. Its often missed.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed
DeleteI can't believe she's 79. What does that make me?
ReplyDeleteShe has such an amazing voice, thank you for reminding me of that. It's been awhile since I heard her.
My hero
DeleteSometimes we really do need to be reminded to look around at the everyday miracles so many people manage to perform although they would never, ever call it that.
ReplyDeleteWe do indeed
DeleteEveryday heroes and heroines. Just getting on and dealing with things, because they have no other choice. Everyday bravery. xx
ReplyDelete
Deletehappy hooker9:22 pm
Everyday heroes and heroines. You are so right
I am a Bette Midler fan too.
ReplyDeleteI love your post and every comment 💗
ReplyDeleteCarol in Atl
Life is no bed of roses! The challenges faced can be daunting. Yet, perseverance allows us to move on to another and hopefully a better day.
ReplyDeleteThe greatest heroes I know are unknown and uncelebrated.
ReplyDeleteSome of us don't realise how lucky we are.
ReplyDeleteBette is THE loveliest of ladies.
ReplyDeleteA reminder to me that I complain too much x
ReplyDeleteShe's fabulous.
ReplyDeleteBetter-- what a spitfire. Love her.
ReplyDelete🙏
DeleteWe really do see so much bravery, it's all around us if we take the time to look.
ReplyDeleteYour line - 'An old Welsh terrier, refusing to bow to semi blindness', really resonated with me. As Suky the Pug got really short sighted she would follow Mavis the JR who was mostly white, very closely so she knew which direction to walk in. After she died, on the first few walks without her Puggy sister, Mavis would glance back to see if she was there or if she had walked on too fast. It broke my heart.
Oh Sue…..😢
DeleteSo beautiful - I'm in tears x
ReplyDeleteXx🩷🙏
DeleteMy 13 year old dog has been diagnosed with possible osteosarcoma of the shoulder and is on pain pills. She can’t walk on that leg. Yet, she alwsys gets up to look for me if I leave where she is resting. She will eagerly do her skippity walk pulling me to a favorite neighbor’s house. Every day she shows me how brave and determined she is and that she still enjoys life.
ReplyDeleteOld dogs never know they are ill , that fact warms me
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