Remembering Shirley

Shirley Temple died last week. Unlike other celebrities from another era, her passing received scant notice. I did receive one email from a high school classmate recalling someone we "grew up with."

How could I forget? She was a huge part of my depression-era childhood. She sang, danced, smiled and cheered us a bit during those dark days of unemployment and for some, despair over a disappearing style of life.

Cheering us up a "bit" meant a lot to many of us. She lit up the screen with her bouncy curls, sunny smile and perky, can-do attitude. We fell in love with her and she never let us down. She remained a model of positiveness among nagging gloom. There were no scandals such as we are bombarded with by the press today regarding the movie idols and their use of drugs and sensationalism in a desperate effort to retain the spotlight.

Shirley remained in that light through her talent and upbeat aura, retiring out of the limelight when she reached adulthood, followed by a life of service to others. She never disappointed us fans, with the exception of her early retirement. Looking back, it seems a wise decision. Her impact was as a child star and I believe she recognized that early during her stardom. She moved on, leaving her movie career, but also a legacy of films that would live on to delight more generations of children..Talk about maturity!

So goodbye to a positive influence on my childhood. Thank you, Shirley, for being you. You helped me during my formative years to remember that "being oneself, the best self one can be" is the most fulfilling and satisfying life to lead.