Day 15 – Sleeping on a Stone Pillow
Lucille Ball was an American comedian, actress, producer, and studio executive. She received many awards for throughout her life from 1911 to 1989. Her TV Show “I love Lucy” became the most-watched show in the United States in four of its six seasons and is still syndicated throughout the world today with millions viewing it each year.
Her last movie, in her 70s, was an act of kindness. The story involved a young social worker who in an effort to understand the plight of homeless women living on the streets, befriends a homeless woman named Florabelle, played by Lucille. An exercise in survival on the streets of Manhattan.
“Well, I’m still here”, Florabelle says
Gorgeous in her beauty, riches and fame,
the great actress made us laugh
and smile again and again.
For everyone, it seemed, knew her name.
Everyone loved Lucy.
At 73 she did something completely different.
Lucy embraced Florabelle, street weary old homeless woman,
her life of loss and pain and only a stone pillow for a home.
So Lucy, without makeup, laughter-jaded, faded by.
For no one loved Florabelle.
“Stone Pillow” no great classic, yet people watched,
moved in the telling of a story of someone from the other side.
And they saw it could happen to anyone,
for life is not always kind, and love is not always blind.
Some might say it was Lucy’s greatest act.
In telling of that story, she was kind to all
the Florabelles we don’t want to see.
The ones we don’t want to embrace, or open doors.
Who we wish would all just go away.
But, “I’m still here”, they say.
Kindness waiting.
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