Learn to be Generous

This week I have been fortunate enough to spend a good deal of quality time with Miriam Margolyes. (Even though it was from watching Netflix on my tv set.) I had never known of her existence before she sat in my living room with me. (I'm an idiot, I know, for having said that, since she has been in countless films, tv, and theatre since 1969!) But keep in mind...my life was filled with raising four children, completing a nursing degree, working and advancing in my career, entertaining and spoiling twelve grandchildren to the best of my ability, and being a caregiver to my mother in her last years. There wasn't much time for movies.

And I must make a confession: Even though I heard it playing over and over via grandchildren, I did not pay attention to Harry Potter, so I wouldn't have "connected" her role in that era's iconic film. Sorry :( Plus, I'm American...and Miriam is British, if that excuses anything?

But I felt as though I had met a friend in whom I could laugh with, share stories with, and trust to look for the good in me and average people like myself, too. After binging two of her documentaries set in Australia, I became besotted with her. And I want more, more, more. I readily connected with her through her humanity. She travels about the country with an objective to find fairness and the story in her documentaries is about the many people she meets along the way that "teach" her lessons in life. One could call her a life-long learner. As she brings us along with her, we share the joy, the sadness, and the best in these people which, in turn, compels us to want to become better, too.

I found her to be an absolute delight, an unapologetic, very extroverted hoot, a truth seeker, and a devil and angel rolled up into one adoring (as she calls herself,) "short, fat, old, lesbian, Jew." In every way, my opposite (except for the old, short, and fluffy part, that is.)

Basically, she is brilliant and as sharp as a tack...even in her 80's. She is a marvel and the message she leaves is so very, very important and totally necessary for our world. When I researched her, I found out that she has done documentaries while traveling in Ireland and in the United States. I will do my best to watch these somehow. Unfortunately, they aren't on Netflix as of yet.

I watched several you tubes about her...some of tv news appearances, like the one below and also on shows like Graham Norton's chat and comedy show, which almost always guarantees a laugh. Warning: No filter!

In her interview with Phillip & Holly, in 2016 post-election, and after filming in America, Miriam eloquently sums up what my wish for America would be, even more so in 2024:

In Search of the American Dream takeaways:

* Before, she described the people that voted for Trump as "the enemy." Afterwards, she says, "those people changed me." And she has remained friends with the people she met in America...even the Trump voters.

* "Be more generous, stop being dogmatic, and learn from others."

* "We've got to get better."

* "We've got to see the light."

* "We mustn't separate ourselves off."

And you are right, Miriam, Christians don't hate Jews!

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I hope that you will give these documentaries your time and attention. Besides seeing the beauty in the land down under, you will see the beauty in humanity. Thank you, Miriam for bringing that to us! And maybe in America, we can stop being so divided...can we try harder, please?