“What do I see when I look in the mirror? Oh my gosh, I see this big head on this small body and this large bosom (my word for them, not hers) and short legs.”

I stared at those purple velvet eyes in the mirror and as candidly as she, responded, “I just can’t believe it.”

Was it the Golden Globes or the Oscars? Was it the Ambassador Hotel or the Hilton? Whichever. It was at the mirror in the ladies’ room, anyway.

For a brief moment it was just me and her. Believe me when I tell you I was star-struck! She was Elizabeth Taylor. She was so beautiful in National Velvet, I had to see the film a dozen times.

I looked at my reflection and saw such a similarity. Not in looks, but in how we looked at ourselves.

That was a long time ago. But even today, if a young woman came up to me and asked, “Rona, right now, what do you see in the mirror?” I’d probably say (depending on the day), “I still see a fat, chubby girl who is like Humpty Dumpty with a big round face and legs and arms that dangle.”


When we reach a certain age, all of us have that, “What have I become?” moment.

But, I’ve come to the realization the question we need to answer is, “What do I want to become?”

Building our seniors a new future through the Golden Inn & Village is my answer to the question: empowering seniors to find something that excites them, something of significance, something that makes a difference.

A founding board member of Pacific Conservatory for the Performing Arts Foundation, the late Jan Severson, had a passion for volunteering. Her wish for everyone was, “Find your significance. Find joy in it. Serve and sacrifice.” I didn’t have the pleasure of knowing Jan, but I heartily agree.

I didn’t know Joseph Campbell either. But, I agree with him when he said, “Find a place where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain. When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves, and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness.”

I believe Elizabeth Taylor looked for more from herself when she reflected in the mirror. She was 79 when she died in 2011. She was celebrated not only as a legendary Academy Award-winning actress, but also for her activism in battling HIV/AIDS through her Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.

So, whether you’re in your 50s, 60s, 70s or beyond, you can still look at yourself in the mirror and ask, “What do I want to become?” “How will I be remembered?” “Was I here for a purpose?”

Whatever your answers, the bottom line is you still have time. You can still challenge yourself to use your remaining heartbeats to do something that gives you joy and that makes a difference in the lives you touch.

Until next time … keep thinking the good thoughts.

— In honor of her late father, entertainment journalist, author, senior activist and Santa Barbara County resident Rona Barrett is the driving force behind the Golden Inn & Village, the area’s first affordable senior living and care facility, scheduled to begin construction in early 2015. Contact her at info@ronabarrettfoundation.org. The opinions expressed are her own.