Let's All Be More Like Betty!
It’s now been some time since the world lost Betty White.
All of the media retrospectives have aired; all of the admiring articles have been published; and now, it’s generally rare to see another Betty White tribute.
Which means it’s a perfect time to discuss her lasting legacy. It turns out that, especially in light of world events since her death, that examining her life’s legacy may now be more important than ever.
The woman who was awarded her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 1988 had already become a shining star of inspiration for many: who was not affected by her grace, her wit, and her love and compassion for people and animals. Her laughter filled the screen, and the screen brought that joy to millions.
For those millions, Betty was not just a great comedienne, but a true American role model: the attributes she modeled will long survive even her funniest comedy sketches. Here are a few:
1) Love with all your heart. Love is powerful and healing, the greatest gift we can offer one another. Regardless of whether you walked on two legs or four, Betty loved you. There was always a twinkle in her smiling eyes, more often than not accompanied by a loving word (or pet).
2) Be kind and good to other people. Betty was not only a “Golden Girl” on TV, she was a real life “Golden Girl”— she was kind to others and lived according to the Golden Rule. Betty not only suggested being to kind to others, she interpreted the “do to others as you would have them do to you” as a directive to serve others.
3) Choose joy. To quote another adage, Betty’s “glass was always half-full.” Her bright outlook on life was probably one of the reasons why she just about made it to living a full century. What are the lasting lessons here for the rest of us? Highlight the positive in your life; look for the beauty in each day and don’t take things for granted; every moment of your life, even the difficult ones, are causes of celebration. Your outlook on life matters, for your own well-being and that of others. Given a choice, always look at the glass the way Betty did — as half-full. And find a reason to laugh every single day.
4) Enjoy your life and be good to yourself. Betty found her passion at an early age, and despite the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry, not just survived, but prospered. She loved her work, she became the best version of herself by pursuing her ambitious life goals. She would want all of us to discover our own special passions, to develop our talents, to share our successes. Her greatest legacy might be to have sparked a national culture of trailblazing.
5) Support animals. Betty loved animals so much she became an animal activist. Her involvement with the Los Angeles Zoo dated back to its opening in 1966. Los Angeles is also the location of a special mural tribute to her, called “Be More Like Betty.” It was painted by Corie Mattle in 15 hours and is located on the 7700 block of Melrose Avenue. The mural encourages others, like Betty, to donate to local animal rescues and shelters. (In the corner of the mural, there is even a bar code to donate specifically to the Wagmor Pets dog rescue.)
6) Stay curious and keep learning. Betty loved playing Scrabble. Playing games and having fun was a lifestyle choice for her; she appeared on many TV game shows like To Tell The Truth, Match Game, and Password (hosted by her husband of 18 years, Allen Ludden). Puzzles and board games are still a great way of combining group fun with a bit of learning.
Many of the life lessons left to us by Betty White remind me of the “happiness tenets” my own mother would tell me growing up (she would have turned 99 this month). As a kid, I remember hearing “count your blessings,” “be kind to others,” “love is the greatest gift.” Another similarity — my mother also loved playing games, especially Scrabble.
The generation that Betty White and my mother were both members of has been called “The Greatest Generation.” It is a description they earned.
Maybe our own paths to greatness, both as individuals and as members of our own various generations, can be made easier by following in their footsteps.
Maybe life would just be a tiny bit better if we could all “Be More Like Betty.”