“I knew at a very early age what I wanted to do. Some people refer to it as indulging my instincts and artistic bent. I call it just showing off, which was what I did from about three years of age on.” … Mary Tyler Moore

How amazing is it that we cannot imagine  superstar Mary Tyler Moore without her dazzling smile?

When she smiled, we smiled. When she cried, we wanted to cry. When her ideas were dismissed, we were angry. When she triumphed, so did we.

Mary stirred our emotions.

Even if we were just watching her on TV, from our own living rooms.

Since the news of Mary Tyler Moore’s passing, my husband and I have been revisiting iconic episodes of The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Mary Tyler Moore Show (on HULU). We were attempting to honor her memory. Instead, we found, she was honoring us.

Why were MTM’s characters so relatable? What kept us watching Laura Petrie and Mary Richards week after week?

She was fun.

She was the best friend we all wanted.

She was bold, daring, and determined. (Lou Grant called it ‘spunk.’)

She was courageous.

She was sensitive and lovable. (On-screen and off.)

She was smart, hardworking, and successful. (Whether as wife, mother, or single career woman. We admired the way she handled it all, with so much grace.)

And her style…simple, elegant, timeless. QUINTESSENTIAL MARY.

I believe the reason we were so saddened is because we each felt we knew Mary Tyler Moore…intimately. She had the rare gift of infusing her personal essence into every character she played. Along with the laughs, she left a little of herself behind.

Brava, MTM. You will be missed. But your shining star endures.

Thank you for adding to our lives, by living yours so fully.