Paul Newman is dead. I knew it was coming and I was very sad when I thought about it. Mr. Newman has been with us for 83 years. He has seen a lot of life. I loved his movies, I love his products. His dressings are great. I have tried to support his projects because he donated proceeds to worthy causes. You know me, altruistic to the bone.
But that’s not why I have been thinking about this for the last hour or so. It’s because people like Paul Newman connect my generation to my parent’s. Movies that Newman appeared in could be enjoyed by Mom and Dad and me and we would have a similar appreciation.
When you grow up sitting and watching the Smothers Brothers and Ed Sullivan, you have that shared experience that cannot be relived. When we lose someone like Newman, that is also a thread that goes through the generations and the loss is felt by all of us.
I am thinking that when Elvis died, I had only a minimal connection. His glory days were just before I became of the age that music becomes all important. Not that I don’t like Elvis, but when John Lennon died, I was really a mess. It didn’t really matter that Elvis killed himself and Lennon was murdered as much as that meant that the music ended. Just now I am realizing that when Bobby Darin died, my parents noted it. When Ricky Nelson died in the plane crash, I was devastated. My husband had loved his music but I loved the Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In fact, I still am interested when I hear about his twins.
I equate the death of a beloved church member in the same way. When John MacInnis died this past spring, the youngest kids in church to the oldest felt the loss. The thread of John’s life wove through all of our beings and is missed by us all.
Death. It’s so final. It ends that whole relationship thing. It stops the movies he might be acting in, stops books or musical compositions being written cold.
RIP, Paul Newman.
You guys were so broken up over John Lennon that I thought he was my uncle when I was little…weird. I told everyone at school that he was. heehee
Comment by Emily — September 27, 2008 @ 10:01 pm |
I didn´t know that he had died…hmmm.. I remember him as a very good-looking fellow and I was surprised that he was that old!!! I did a search for him on google and pictures appeared from the days I remember him, of course I was way to young to remember the glories days but I know that I loved the movies and that he was gorgeous during that time. Well, let´s face it, I´m not very young any longer…
And Emily, how wonderful believing that John Lennon was your uncle!!! LOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!
Comment by Viveka — October 14, 2008 @ 3:00 pm |