People come back to our lives like Betty White
TThis is the time of year when people come back into our lives for a reason.
Some you don’t want to see. They appear with drama and teach you something about yourself and life. Others you love to see them because they return with love.
I had not seen actress Betty White in person for almost thirty years, when I had the opportunity to hug her recently.
We met when she was starring in “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and I was the publicist for the CBS Television Network show.
Over the years, I had seen Betty on television and wanted to tell her how she influenced my path in recent years.
She is a great lover of animals and is on the board of the Los Angeles Zoo. When I was presented with the opportunity to volunteer at the zoo and bring animals to children’s hospitals, I jumped at the opportunity because I remembered a special day in Betty’s life that influenced me.
Betty had just finished an interview with TV Guide. It was moments before she made her debut on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show,” a classic now in television history. He was about to find his way into the hearts of millions of people around the world.
She was in Betty’s dressing room with her, the TV Guide reporter, and a studio publicist when someone knocked on her door. It was the deputy director.
“Time to go on stage Betty!”
This was an exciting time for the show and for Betty. The producers were looking for a Betty White guy to play Sue Ann Nivens, a cheeky and exaggerated host of a cooking show on the fictional network.
Mary Tyler Moore, a good friend of Betty’s said, “Why not find Betty herself?” They did and the ratings skyrocketed.
When Betty opened the door for the assistant director, he told her that she had to hurry to get on set. We all began to walk briskly with Betty to the stage, when a makeup artist from the show passed us carefully carrying a box of shoes.
Betty asked what was in the box and the woman said, “A little bird fell out of a nest.”
Betty stopped short and the assistant director nearly had a heart attack.
A studio audience was waiting, and thousands of dollars would be lost in team time if Betty didn’t get on stage right away and deliver her lines. He looked inside the box and melted. He wanted to take care of the poor pigeon, when the nervous assistant reminded him that it was time to go.
Betty started walking again, but looked back over her shoulders and told the makeup artist to find a dropper to feed the bird. His mind was on the bird, not on the next most important moment in his life.
Over the years, every time I saw Betty on a show, I would think back to that moment. I thought about the love he has not only for animals, but for people. Her assistant, who has been with Betty for years, said she had never heard her say a bad word about anyone. When someone was out of line, Betty would make excuses for them.
I also thought that her resurgence on television at her age was a phenomenal achievement compared to thousands of actors like her who have disappeared in the sunset. In addition to his obvious talent, I have always felt that there was a spiritual reason.
Thirty years later, on a rainy afternoon at the Wildlife Learning Center where I am also a volunteer, Betty had come to film a documentary. Only a man with a camera, some people and the founders of the Center were there. Before I could say hello, I saw her greet everyone with love. Everyone was touched by her kindness, especially Walt, my husband who has always adored her.
It reminded me of the saying: “The bigger the star, the prettier they are.”
After greeting and hugging Betty, we held hands and chatted about old times on “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.” I felt like I was talking to a long lost aunt. At 90, Betty is radiantly beautiful and has the spirit and sharpness of a person 50 and younger. But she is not like some of our older relatives who endlessly wander and make us want to run away. There is something magical in Betty’s eyes.
So what did Betty teach me when she came back into my life?
Now I know why it has had this crazy success for decades. The spiritual reason is love.
It also reminded me that physical beauty is radiant love. And that love is eternal and unchanging. Love will not only give you eternal success, but it will touch and heal the lives of everyone in your path, especially those you have not seen in years.
Love, light and blessings,
Janet