Elizabeth Taylor

I can remember as a child my Mother telling me that Elizabeth Taylor was the most beautiful woman in the world. Of course, those were the days when beautiful women consisted of the ones you knew and ones you could see in movies, magazines or TV. These days, of course, you get to see so many more beautiful women. There are scads of them.

As I watched the footage of Elizabeth's life today there wasn't a single moment of...."I didn't know that", it was all a reflection of what I already knew. I read that if you were born before 1970 you knew everything there was to know about her. I know this is true.

OK, she was like any other child star whose grown up life became fodder for scandal. She married first when just a child. It didn't take and she went on to do it for seven additional times. She was the first Angelina Jole breaking up the marriage of the current "America's Sweethearts". She was even denounced by the Pope for extra marital forays. In the meantime she won Academy Awards, had children who will always adore her and continued to marry everyone from actors to senators to carpenters. I have to think how special she was as a friend. She kept the secrets of Sal Maneo, supported Michael Jackson through his darkest days and when her buddy Rock was exposed by his death from AIDS, she became the disease's biggest crusader.

She built an empire by selling her name, was not afraid of poking fun at herself and every interview she ever did was a humorous delight. Elizabeth (she told Barbara Walters one time that she hated LIZ) had an impressive amount of jewelry and was not afraid to tell anyone about it. Thinking that these jewels could set her children for life. There will be no news stories of her children disputing her will and, I'm pretty sure there will be no long, dark secrets to come out.

Elizabeth wore herself and heart on her sleve. She didn't hide or was ever afraid to expose her problems. She made us feel like we all knew her and, we all found this admirable and respected her. She was truly the most beautiful physically and mentally.