Angela Lansbury was a legend. And I am missing her.
I surprised myself today by my emotional reaction to her death. It felt like someone I knew died. Someone who meant a lot to me. I guess both of those things are true because even though I didn't know her personally, she inhabited my life for a long time...and inspired me, entertained me, and made me proud to be a woman of a certain age.
In the video I say that I want my daughter to know that Angela Lansbury could be a role model for her as a young woman. But maybe more importantly, she was a role model to me and to many women of a certain age, as her character of Jessica Fletcher in "Murder She Wrote."
She was a single, middle aged, woman - with a second successful career, busy and happy, and enjoying life while helping others, and of course, solving mysteries with her powers of observation.
That's a kind of character that is rare in the media these days. I don't know - has there been another like her since Jessica Fletcher went off the air? I know there hasn't been one that has meant as much to me.
I knew she was 96. And I was preparing myself for this day. But now that's it's here, I'm still sadder than I thought, but more grateful too -- for the wonderful legacy that she left. And for my boxed set of DVD's that Robert bought me during Covid -- 264 episodes. Astonishing.
And so I will close tonight, with a phrase that I utter almost every evening as I do the dishes while watching "Murder She Wrote." Jessica always says or does something endearing, or funny, or wise -- and, I, alone in the kitchen, exclaim out loud, "I love you Jessica!" And I do.
Angela Lansbury, thank you for the gift of Jessica. And so much more.
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