Wednesday, February 12, 2014

The Span of Time

Yesterday we celebrated the life of a child star, and a woman who performed more than 30 years of diplomatic service for her country. I think it made us all somewhat nostalgic. Looking through some of the You Tube videos, I found one during which Mrs. Black received a Screen Actor's Guild lifetime achievement award, in 2006. Her mind seemed sharp, but she appeared very unsteady, physically frail.

It made me sad in a way that I can’t explain … other than, perhaps, the realization that all of us are fading. So I wonder, how should we remember Shirley Temple Black? Beyond this, how would you wish to be remembered?

25 comments:

Ducky's here said...

Lola Johnson: What if you die some day?

Garrison Keillor: I will die.

Lola Johnson: Don't you want people to remember you?

Garrison Keillor: I don't want them to be told to remember me.

-----
I'm sure she will be remembered in a variety of ways for a while.
Whether her memory has an traction with younger people is a question.

Sam Huntington said...

How this lady will be remembered will depend on how we knew her. Those of us who knew her as a child star will remember her that way. But she was also a wife, a mother, grandparent, neighbor, diplomat … so I think people will remember Shirley Temple based on their relationship with her. How would I like to be remembered? It doesn’t matter.

Lisa said...

Shirley was a truly likable and talented child star, which is rare. She survived Hollywood, unprecedented fame, outgrowing her cuteness, stage parents and went on to thrive in real life. She married a good man and was a very intelligent person, which had to help. My hat is off to her - Rest in Peace great lady!

Thank you for the memories Shirley. RIP

Anonymous said...

From Z of GeeeZ:

Mustang, I think it's less that WE are fading and everything Shirley Temple represented IS fading....joy, optimism, that someone can do that well from sheer talent, wholesomeness... Yes, I think the WHOLESOME aspect is so dead that it makes me, at least, feel very sad and almost lost. I don't recognize what we've had happening lately..

Maybe Shirley was a few years younger than Miley, but compare/contrast.

Shirley was what little girls wanted to be.

Miley is now the goal.

Mustang: Please delete any comment EVER with "Shaw" in the name or the commentary; thanks.


WOW

Impertinent said...

Looks like Shirley and Sid Caesar will get together soon.

As kids...we used to watch her all the time...Sid too.

In many ways, they were better times.

Unknown said...

Z makes a good point; it is hard to argue “progress” is working in any aspect of our society these days. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Society has become digressive, and what I mean by this is depressing, gloomy, and desolate. Wholesomeness has given way to widespread insalubriousness. But hasn’t this been the goal in Hollywood for the past 60 years? It is impossible for any rational person to believe that the creation of so much obscenity was part of a natural evolution. I don’t believe that for one second. What you see in America today was an intention effort to destroy the moral fiber of this country—and it has worked.

Ed Bonderenka said...

At my dad's funeral, guys who had WORKED FOR him, came and said glowing things about him, as did his kids (me included).

That's how I want to be remembered.

Impertinent said...

@Jack:

Jack...a Six syllable word here?

Wow...that's a first.

Impertinent said...

@Jack:

" What you see in America today was an intention effort to destroy the moral fiber of this country—and it has worked."


Only if you want to join the losers Jack.

Louis H. said...

I thought Night of the Living Dead was a great film.

Impertinent said...

@Louis:


Louis ... Qu'est-ce que ça veut dire?

Louis H. said...

C'est la terre de zombies, bien sûr ... Je comprends que ces créatures sont démocrates.

Anonymous said...

From Z of GeeeZ:

Ed, guys who worked the construction sites my dad was contractor for, and a retired governor of California attended my dad's funeral; I loved to see George there AND guys with tool belts who'd stopped in just to be there for a while. That felt so good and said so much for Dad.
I am glad, and not surprised, you had a great Dad, too.

Imp....what do you mean "HERE"? We have very bright people HERE!! :-)

Louis H.....vous avez raison! Toutes sont democrates :-)
And yes...'la terre de zombies' est vrai....malheuresment :-(

Impertinent said...

@Z:

Qu'est-ce que ... tu parles abour chère dame?

Impertinent said...

@Louis:

Bien dit monsieur. Je vois ce que vous voulez dire maintenant.

Always On Watch said...

My maternal grandmother once said, and I can still hear her voice: "I've been able to handle everything in life except for growing old." She meant, of course, growing old in terms of no longer being able to stay as independent as she'd have liked.

The deal that she struck with her general practitioner was a good one: "Keep me on my feet. After I can't still be on my feet, let me go." And, so he did! My grandmother was relatively independent for a woman who lived past age 80 -- in spite of numerous physical woes, including cardiac issues that had plagued her for some 20 years. She stayed on her feet until the last 48 hours of her life. Her biggest worry was being bedridden, and that never happened to her. Thank God!

I'm not sure how I want to be remembered. With a full measure of grace, I think.

Kid said...

I guess I'd like to be remembered as the guy who kicked satan's a*

Bob said...

Hardly anyone is remembered past their generation. Shirley Temple Black is remembered, now, for all her cute movies. She was a child entertainer, and was amazing for her age.

That's how she will be remembered by future generations if she is remembered at all. I believe she had a good life, and I don't know what more you can ask.

Ed Bonderenka said...

Z said "a retired governor of California attended my dad's funeral; I loved to see George there AND guys with tool belts who'd stopped in just to be there for a while.."
That is cool.

Z said...

There are so many ads for the movies Temple made as a child, boxed sets, that I'm thinking she's pretty popular with kids still. Thankfully.

I hope someone comments on the juxtaposition of someone like Shirley Temple and someone like Lindsay Lohan ...
Of course, Lohan was a cute child, so was Miley Cyrus "the good little innocent Christian girl"...but perhaps they simply didn't have the very concerned mother Temple had.

Or, perhaps, we're so down the immoral path that there's no selling anything if you aren't IMMORAL?

Z said...

Ed, it was such a statement about my father. That was an INCREDIBLE day...and I just wrote and wrote telling you about it and deleted it :-(
Too many personal anecdotes.....I just don't like to do that here.

Darn.

Tell us about your dad.

Always and Bob....great comments.


Mustang said...

I would like to be remembered as the man who:
• Developed the Hubble Telescope
• Conclusively proved that travel through a worm hole is possible
• Discovered Haley’s Comet
• Wrote the most exciting epic since Homer’s classics, and
• Proved once and for all that Barack Obama was born in Kenya.

Unfortunately, I can’t be remembered for any of those things. But, I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express once.

Anonymous said...

As usual, Mustang brings up very poignant thoughts to contemplate. As for Ms. Black, I wish I could have met that talented yet humble woman. She comes from a time in our history when simplicity and appreciation were everyday things. She was a global ambassador of all things good... She oozed innocence in an adult way. And as Mustang knows, she even recorded children's songs in Japanese in 1937 to show you her gentle reach.

JonBerg said...

I guess she was one part of Hollywood's effort in the Great Depression that helped us get through it. As I said before, she is the last of the those who did. I only hope that, some how, her legacy continues !

Divine Theatre said...

I used to have to curl Gracie's stick straight hair every day so she could resemble Shirley Temple. She doesn't even know who Miley Cyrus is.
I don't care if no one remembers me. I just want to be sure that those I love know it while I'm here.

Andie