She was the first princess I ever truly desired to imitate.
His transcendence beyond boxing amazed me.
Her Pulitzer Prize winning masterpiece was the first novel I ever loved.
His brilliance on the High Court was striking, as noted by one of his besties, the ideologically opposite Ginsberg.
She was simply the best at what she did — that is, before Geno’s Huskies.
And then there were those three who made me sing — from “Freedom” to “Desperado” — to even luring me repeatedly to the dance floor with “Little Red Corvette” and more.
Carrie Fisher…
Muhammad Ali…
Harper Lee…
Antonin Scalia…
Pat Summitt…
And George Michael, Glen Frey, and the ever talented, musical mastermind, Prince.
Each passed away in 2016.
They weren’t alone… David Bowie… Fidel Castro… Leonard Cohen… Patty Duke… Zsa Zsa Gabor… John Glenn… Merle Haggard… Henry Heimlich… Florence Henderson… Gordie Howe… Gwen Ifill… Arnold Palmer… Shimon Peres… Nancy Reagan… Janet Reno… Morley Safer… Craig Sager… Phyllis Schlafly… Alan Thicke… Abe Vigoda… Elie Wiesel… Gene Wilder…
… and more.
It makes me ponder two questions…
One… what will we say about them?
… that they performed well? … that they had a great hit? … that they led or acted or won or lost or ruled or governed or did something really outstanding, notable, awful, or good?
In other words, will we speak of what they did? … or… about who they are?
Which leads, therefore, to my second question…
What will we want them one day to say about us?
Will we want people to talk about what we did?
… or…
Will we want them to note our character? … who we are?
Let’s honor Fisher and Frey and Haggard and Heimlich, etal. by talking less about what they did… and more about who they are.
Respectfully…
AR