In her younger days she was the queen of the silver screen. Toasted as the most beautiful woman in the world, rich beyond belief, lusted after by the kings, princes and lords of her days.
She was supposed to have attained what could only be dreamed of by many millions. She had fame, beauty, money. She was legendary even in her life-time.
She married five husbands consecutively all of them rich, handsome and powerful. She also had numerous lovers, some play things were even decades younger than her.
She was honoured by royalties, and in England she was made a dame automatically making her a member of the nobility. Her name which had become an international brand in the 1970s is Elizabeth Taylor.
Yet, the last and remaining years of Dame Elizabeth Taylor are instructional to us about the lesson of life which goes as such: “what does it profit a dame (a man) to gain the whole material world…and yet lose the essence of life?”
Real life has been anything but a bed of roses for Dame Taylor. Having been through betrayals, back-stabbing, sniping and lose of friendship, divorces, she had been finally hobbled by the march of time which makes one pay the price of all indulgences.
She has paid and is paying her due price with her priceless health and joy.
Dame Elizabeth has had a number of serious health problems in recent years which has seen her withdrawn from the public limelight that she had enjoyed for more than 3 decades.
In 1995, she had a hip replacement.
In 1997 she had surgery to remove a brain tumour.
She has the brittle bone disease osteoporosis as a result of which she has broken her back at least five times in recent years and frequently uses a wheelchair in her rare public appearances.
In 2004, the fading star was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Since then she has gone through several open-heart sugeries, the latest being last Wednesday, the 7th of Ocotber 2009.
Elizabeth Taylor’s latest heart-sugery involved implanting a clip to prevent blood leaking back into the heart through the mitral valve.
As if that were not enough, even now there have been persistent rumours that the former actress is also dealing with type II Diabetes.
You will agree that it certainly is an uphill battle with little chance of successful outcome which faces Dame Taylor. Why, because time is not on her side and the younger generations have moved on oblivious of her once dazzling glories.
As our hearts go out to Dame Elizabeth Taylor in her challenges, it is worth reflecting again on the price of attaining the life many of us so often dream about.
Many of us wish to be famous, rich and beautiful. Many want respect, honour and glories. These goodies often time though not always have to be paid for with our lives, our freedoms, our simple jofulness, and our families. Is it worth it then to give up all we have to achieve the fast fading fame and glories in an increasingly amnesiac, confused, distracted and psychotic world-society?
Look again at the lives of the highest of the Hollywood stars and realize, that material wealth, beauty, fame and glories are like the dazzling beauty of the ripe flower. In the midst of its days, in the heat of the sun, that very beauty shall wither and decay with age, and those that desired it shall desire it no-more.
Pause again and reflect!
Oguejiofo Annu
October 09, 2009