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| Carrie Fisher at the NYFF to discuss Fisher Stevens' documentary Bright Lights about Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds. (photo courtesy of the NYFF) |
I saw Carrie Fisher on Broadway in
Wishful Drinking and was impressed by her mental acuity and self-effacing humor. It is no small feat to look squarely at one's painful weaknesses, and with searing irony, cauterize bleeding soul wounds, then publicly feed oneself and others from the kernels of wisdom produced by the process.
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| Carrie Fisher's Broadway show Wishful Drinking (photo courtesy of the site) |
Part of my surprise and admiration at Carrie Fisher's entertainment was how quickly she reverted to fun though no one would think slamming oneself could be much fun, even though fame, publicity and money were some of the side effects. Too honest, too "in-your-face," too bloody real to laugh at oneself. But Carrie laughed and made us laugh with her.
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| Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia of Star Wars (photo courtesy of the film) |
Nightly on Broadway and in her shows in LA, with light-saber humor, she slashed regrets and self-victimization with truth and grace. I and those around me with smiles on our faces just feasted. She punctured our every "Hollywoodland" balloon fantasy, and the ridiculous notions we harbored about Princess Leia and being a film icon. She offered herself up with a wide-armed embrace as our mentor
as if proclaiming, "Yes, we have all experienced the shit storm and we can weather it without swallowing too much crap or dying of
E. coli poisoning."
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| Carrie Fisher after Star Wars came out (photo from the site) |
Carrie, you've moved from being
Star Wars' two-dimensional princess to an infinitely dimensional Queen. I imagine your consciousness in free flight soaring and communing in health and wholeness thrilled that one element of your purpose on this planet has been fulfilled. R.I.P. We are the finer for having had your presence with us for a short time.
Carrie Fisher
You sliced your pride with swords of truth and light
With honesty and grace so singular,
With soulful generosity to spite
Your perfect image; T'was overthrown! You stirred
Us to accept ourselves, love and forgive,
Because there's health if faults you learn to share
With others, so you're not afraid to live
And turn from ego darkness and despair.
The process moved you to a grander place
Within our hearts, and we did empathize
With all that you encountered and did face.
Truth burned the roots of all that you despised.
Remembered always Carrie you will be,
Your strength, your joy, your soul's dear majesty.
