When you wonder if there is a plan for your life currently unseen, bring Queen Elizabeth II to mind. Her family was not even in line for the throne, but events conspired to bring this amazing Icon to her position where she diligently worked and served for over 70 years. As a child of 13 when the posters were air dropped to “Keep Calm and Carry On” in anticipation of bombing and even chemical warfare, she could never have foreseen her role as the world’s Queen. Yet she became just that and as her 96 years unfolded, we were grateful for her many examples of calm and admired her lessons of steadfastness.
Just this week we delighted to see Her Majesty’s bright eyes and wide smile greet another new prime minister of Great Britain. Fulfilling her duty just two days before passing. A lesson in kindness and fortitude. Queen Elizabeth surely endeared herself to the world. This petite elderly woman stood with giants throughout her and our lifetime. To honor her legacy, today’s message is to allow her to speak for herself and enjoy some of her own words of wisdom:
“Grief is the price we pay for love.”
“When life seems hard, the courageous do not lie down and accept defeat, instead, they are all the more determined to struggle for a better future”.
“Let us not take ourselves too seriously. None of us has a monopoly on wisdom and we must always be ready to listen and respect other points of view”.
“May you be proud to remember how much depends on you, and that even when your life seems most monotonous, what you do is always of real value and importance to your fellow men.”
To Eric Clapton at Buckingham Palace in 2005: ” Have you been playing a long time?”
“The true measure of all our actions is how long the good in them lasts”.
“The world is not the most pleasant place. Eventually your parents leave you and nobody is going to go out of their way to protect you…unconditionally. You need to learn to stand up for yourself and what you believe and sometimes- pardon my language – kick some ass.”
“Today we need a special kind of courage. Not the kind needed in battle, but a kind which makes us stand up for everything we know is right”.
“For me, heaven is likely to be a bit of a come-down.”
I should think so, but witnessing her long life and amazing reign can help us all believe that we too can tap into power, grace and humor when faced with adversity. As Prince Philip was to the Queen, so you have also come to be the “strength and stay” for many in your own world. Continue to lead by example. We can choose to “never ever give up and to keep calm and carry on”. Thank you, Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary. The world did not even know they needed you, until they did.