377 days - Blog #15 “Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.”

It’s 10:54 and I honestly don’t know what to write today.

I came back from another rehearsal tonight and saw that Lauren Bacall died today.  So I spent the last forty-five minutes listening to various interviews over her decades.  I used to have a picture of her that I tore out of a calendar of 1940s movie stars that I hung on the wall in my ‘room’ in the cellar.  I had Bogie, too.  I can’t really tell you what my favorite movie is of hers.  There are the iconic moments.  But mostly, I remember reading her autobiography one summer.  I ended up buying a copy of it when I found it in a used book sale.  Because it is something I knew I would have to revisit.  To inspire myself.  As a strong woman.  As a survivor.  As someone who perseveres no matter what life throws at you.

I saw two quotes of hers as I scrolled through Facebook just now.  

“You don’t always win your battles, but it’s good to know you fought.”

“Imagination is the highest kite one can fly.”

And that’s as far as I can get to process it.

I found myself still thinking, reading about, talking about, and pondering the news of yesterday.  

There was also the business of today… a weird cloud of work and theater and other life.  Some unexpected gifts – of poetry and a pizza night with my family.  So intertwined with these headlines of sadness are the simple joys of ordinary life.

I’ll take it.

I think, also, tonight I will leave it at that and take sleep over a lengthy blog.  

But if you want to linger here, check out Lauren on a British chat show.  Skip to 10:50 for her smart conversation, although the other interviews are also worth some time as well.