Just open your mind

I am starting out 2022 in somewhat of a negative space.  I looked back on my posts from this time last year and there was definitely optimism on my part – vaccines for my age group were imminent and a new President was about to be inaugurated.

I am not entering 2022 with that same hopeful ‘spirit’.  COVID 19 case counts are the highest they have ever been; a grim January is predicted with lots of people sick and service disruptions; dangerous climate events are cropping up, and our political divide is greater than ever….. with the 2022 midterms on the horizon.

Enter Betty White.

I am sure all of you know that she passed away at the end of last week, just shy of her 100^th birthday.  I have always loved her.  One of my favorite shows of all time was the Mary Tyler Moore show and Betty’s portrayal of Sue Ann was a classic as both annoyingly positive and bawdy to boot.  Then came the Golden Girls which I really appreciate now because I am a Golden Girl PLUS 😊.

I never had the honor of meeting Betty White.  But my husband and our daughter did.  We lived on the Central Coast of California back in the 90’s, as did Betty White.   The local Humane Society hosted a pet portrait benefit just before Christmas one year.  My husband and our daughter took our dog, Margie, to be photographed with Santa (pictured above).  Betty White was one of the greeters for the event and they said she couldn’t have been warmer and more welcoming!

It has been fun and illuminating to read about her over the past few days. 

People talk about how positive she was, how curious, open, and engaged she stayed, how she embraced her age, her love of all animals, including snakes, etc. 

She shared some great insight along the way:

• ‘Don’t try to be young’
• ‘Just open your mind’
• ‘Stay interested in stuff’
• ‘There are so many things I won’t live long enough to find out about, but I’m still curious about them’
• ‘Vodka is kind of a hobby’

For today, my two favorite Betty White quotes are:

I just make it my business to get along with people so I can have fun.  It is just that simple.

Kindness and consideration of somebody besides yourself keeps you feeling young.

Betty White

These were just the messages I needed to hear (and ponder) as we enter a year with a lot of uncertainty.  And who wouldn’t want to be remembered like Betty😊

Allene

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