Happy Little Washday Song
Beverly Sills died yesterday at 78.
There were several things I admired about her.
One was her ability to light up a stage when she began to sing.
Another was her unique ability to make you laugh. She had a contagious sense of humor.
People who didn’t take the time to research her personal life would never have known she was a childhood singer – singing such songs as Happy Little Washday Song, she had a handicapped son, a deaf daughter and a number of other beautiful children. She had a husband she was married to for 50 years until his death last year of Alzheimer disease.
She was also a master fundraiser. Whenever her name was associated with something, funding came out of the woodwork with ease.
Another thing I liked about her was that she retired…over and over again. According to an Associated Press news article released about her she retired at age 51 after 30 years singing opera only to take on a Directing position with the NY City Opera and then on to the Lincoln Center for the Arts to raise funds. After that project was developed in 2002, she decided to “stop and smell the roses†but she was back quickly after that saying that it was never her intent to retire…and that she stopped to smell the roses and developed an allergy. She said she really wanted “new mountains to climb.†You can read the entire article about her on www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19572218/ .
I liked that
I’m on my way to wash clothes. I think I’ll hum Happy Little Washday Song in memory of her today.
My wish for you today is that you celebrate famous people for the things in life you love about them…not for just being famous…but for making a difference in the lives they touch.
~ Joellen