Death of An Actress

I watched closely the news reports of Natasha Richardson's skiing accident. When they used the words traumatic head injury and critical, I was still hoping for the best for this complete stranger. And then knew it was not hopeful especially as they flew her from Montreal to New York and you don't fly persons with brain swelling if they are recovering. For some reason, I just really liked her. She wasn't in many movies as I have discovered she was more of a theatre actress and more importantly to her, a mother. I had seen the movie "Nell" and then I loved her in "The Parent Trap." I have seen that movie many, many times and then was able to enjoy it with my oldest daughter who liked the twin aspect.
On screen, she just captured my attention, and now I understand why, as she was acting royalty with the chops to prove it. She was playing in this Disney movie and knocking it out of the park. The role is of a woman who when she decides to leave her husband, they choose to split the twins that she just gave birth to and never have any contact. I guess the plot could happen in real life, but as I mulled it over in one of my viewings, I thought it was really far fetched, but I loved it anyway. She played it SO well. She was beautiful, graceful and elegant even when she played tipsy.

I just had to write something because I feel saddened by this loss of a complete stranger. It seemed like she had a true love affair with her husband. And then they have two sons. I think about if something would happen to myself and how my children would cope without their mother. It would be devastating and especially for my eldest daughter. At six and a half, she has never wanted me to go anywhere without her, and this continues on even now. Ms. Richardson seemed like a devoted mother. You didn't really know much about their kids and that is something commendable in this day and age with the likes of Tom Cruise.
I think also the fact that she was 45, and it was a freak accident. I turned 40 last year and those numbers are oh so close. It made me stop and think of my own mortality and how it can happen when you least expect it. Forty seemed old when I was twenty but oh, not anymore.
Even though this was an actress who worked in New York and in some movies married to a more famous movie star, it gave me a wake up call and we get those from time to time from persons we don't even know. Even as the day is hectic, the list of things to do is long, the kids are energy zapping, enjoy those moments and people in your life as much as you can every day. This is a similar theme to a book I studied with a group at church called "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle. It is a hard read but I found the message to be very useful to me and the essence of it is to be present in each moment of your life. That is what I'm trying. Peace and prayers to Natasha Richardson's family and friends.