This week has seen the sad passing of three people who have achieved fame in different ways. Ed McMahon was known as the faithful sidekick to Johnny Carson. His career brought him fame but not the mega stardom of others. Farrah Fawcett was known as the blond bombshell who left behind a plum role on Charlie’s Angels to carve out her own unique career path. Michael Jackson is recognized as a child prodigy who took his talents and left his family behind to create his own bright star. Each became an icon their own way. But their fame did not guarantee an easy life. They suffered with poor health, relationship issues and money woes.
Most of us would like acknowledgment for our hard work. We would like to know our efforts mean something and we’ll be rewarded. The allure of fame is the promise of an easy life. It becomes this gift we seek to open.
We can spend endless hours watching the specials about the three people lost this week. But we can’t know what was in their hearts. We don’t know what they regretted or were thankful for in their final hours. Despite fame they ended life in the same way we all will.
Fame is something we may seek,providing us with access to people, places and things that can make success all the more sweeter. Fame fails when it becomes the thing that defines us. Lives can get tangled up in talent and torment. It becomes hard to know one from the other. Fame becomes a burden not a pleasure.
Each of then left behind a legacy of their work. I also learned how kind and giving Ed was, how brave and adventurous Farrah was and how Michael was unique and trendsetting. They pushed past obstacles, achieved success and lived the best way they could. Besides their talents I would say they left behind something more tangible and important. They used their gifts and shared them with us. They each took chances. We could debate the mental and spiritual health brought about because of their fame, but we can’t deny a degree of moxie. They didn’t hide; even the fragile Michael came out into the spotlight.
There is this convulsive grief that occurs when a celebrity dies. We have come to depend on them in an odd way. We explore our talents and fear through them instead of developing our own.
We long for our own fame but are afraid. Celebrities pave the road for us. In our own lives we may only achieve modest fame. We honor our gifts when share them with others. We can recognize fame won’t save us from death and try to live our best kind of life. At the end we can leave behind an honorable legacy of well used talent.
Sandra’s e-course leads people to be their creative best through telling their stories and talking to interesting people on her online radio show-Wild Woman Network: Radio for Creative Vagabonds,Thinkers and Innovators.
She is a creative vagabond, a poet, and a writer who co-facilitates the Wild Angels Poets and Writers Group at the historic Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine. Her ecourse leads people to tell their life story-Writing for Life: Creating a Story of Your Own.