filed in Daily Life
When Was the Last Time You Said, I Love You?
In my ballet class, there’s a beautiful woman named Betty who is almost 88. You would never, ever believe it to look at her. She is my inspiration. Betty still pirouettes and jumps and if there’s an exercise she can’t do, she’s off in the corner completing 50 sit-ups. I’m not exaggerating when I say, I can barely keep up with her. Both of us park about 1/3 mile from the studio (no meters) and walk to class from there, and if she happens to be ahead of me, I literally can’t catch her. Today, after class, Betty impatiently started to jaywalk across a busy street and I grabbed her arm. Now I’m thinking it was actually me saying, I love you.
Illustration by Ella Frances Sanders
Discussion
17 comments for “When Was the Last Time You Said, I Love You?”
Leave a Reply
About this Site
FIRST PERSON SINGULAR is a guide to surviving, thriving and sometimes just getting through a single day. Created by Wendy Braitman (more…)
Follow First Person Singular
Greatest Hits
I love that story.
I was very moved by the quote by John Patrick.
How inspiring. She sounds like a gem. May we all be so lucky to be so mobile and passionate about life if we reach that age.
Betty defies grafity. I want to be like her. The other crazy part of her story is that at 86, she was diagnosed with a rare form of abdominal cancer. She endured surgery and 6 months of intensive chemo, with all the usual side effects. She was out of class for almost a year. But she fought her way back. Simply breathtaking.
Breathtaking!! Almost an underestimation. Now that’s a lust for life – she’s not leaving anything for another time. I admire that amount of connection and I presume curiosity. She feels resoundingly true to herself.
Betty danced with the San Francisco ballet way back when. She was also on Broadway. She has the best stories, and remembers all of them.
On another note, I’m fascinated by punctuation these days and this quote didn’t disappoint. I’m completely wishy-washy about punctuation and imagine John Patrick assuredly placing each comma and dash, something I aspire to.
I wasn’t familiar with John Patrick until I googled him. Did you know of him, Jules?
Is he a playwright? If he is, I couldn’t tell you what he wrote.
This quote is from his 1950 play, The Curious Savage.
HI WENDY, Wow , lovely stuff . Me too. Except when she’s YELLING at me, Oh HECK , I probably deserve it. BEST BRUCE
Nothing is perfect. And so, I envy that you get to look at this gorgeous woman every day.
Betty is all that and more, she is one of the most fun persons anyone can know. I was her partner is two NY shows in the 50s and am her same age. I’m lucky to be her freind for most of our lives. She is a treasured friend. Any person is lucky to know her. Mind, body and mood, She scores at the top on all three
KeithZ2A2
Betty is one of the most fun people any one can know. I was her partner is a couple show in NY in the 50. and her same age. We have been friends for most of our lives. Mind, body and mood, She is at the top of them all.
Betty is on my gratitude list. She’s a source of constant joy, and I’m so glad she’s in my life.
A dear friend of Betty’s (she was my older sister) just sent me her response to a short story written about her presence/performance in the ballet class she attended regularly for many years, even up to 7 mths before she passed! Betts said she was “flabbergasted” at such glorious praise of her person and physical abilities (plus impeccable ballet form at all times). Betty was one of those rare people who had no idea how absolutely unique and wonderful she was, regardless of how much she was adulated. I really love all the comments about her on this site. And the prose about “love” is so lovely…and true. Betts was not “puffed up” about herself, even though she had a million reasons to be. How refreshing. I will miss her forever.
Betty was one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met.