An Old Affection Revisited

When I was a young married twenty-something in the 1960's, I thought the sun rose and set on Barbara Bain, an actress who played Cinnamon Carter on a popular show called "Mission Impossible". In my opinion, she was both drop-dead gorgeous and a great actress besides. My admiration grew exponentially when I discovered that she was happily married to another actor in the series, Martin Landau. I honestly don't know if I was more entranced by her beauty or her marriage: I was a romantic at heart and always loved happily-ever-after stories, especially those that were real.  I was crushed when they left the show, and stopped watching it from then on, even though I also liked Leonard Nimoy, who took Martin Landau's place in the series. A few years  later the couple starred in another series, a science-fiction show called "Space 1999".  That show took advantage of their real-life relationship and made use of it on the show, which I especially loved because it felt authentic, again resurrecting my romantic nature. When that show went off the air I was sad again, but eventually my adulation receded into the past. I was crushed again when I read that the couple divorced in 1993,after 36 years of marriage, and wondered what happened to the beautiful relationship they shared with their many fans by way of their TV shows.

I haven't seen any reruns of "Mission Impossible", but recently "Space  1999" returned to TV and I was again transfixed by both Barbara Bain's beauty and her chemistry with Martin Landau. I then learned that Mr. Landau had died this past year, and I was very saddened to hear that.  I wondered what had happened to them in the intervening years, and was gratified to learn that there is a lot of information to be gotten from YouTube. I found that there are other fans who posted videos and made testimonial collages to them both, and I was able to discover much information about them both. I have decided that I love YouTube, and I again think that the sun rises and sets on Barbara Bain.  She has aged gracefully and naturally, and is still beautiful, at least as recently as 2016, which is the latest year for which there is any information on her in YouTube, and is also still active in the acting profession.  I love that neither she nor Mr. Landau ever remarried, and that they raised two daughters who are beautiful and successful adults. I am sorry that they couldn't stay married, but I am happy that they were able to remain friends.I just felt like sharing that. Rest in peace, Mr. Landau, and live well, Ms. Bain.

A Christmas Story

      I am a Eucharistic Minister for my church, which is a fancy way of saying I bring Communion to home-bound people who can't get to church. Once a week I bring Communion to a group of residents in a local nursing home. This week I got my first Christmas present. It was from one of the residents, a retired Catholic nun with nothing to her name except for the few dollars she gets from making and selling woven hot pads. Her gifts to me were a candy bar, a small bag of chips and a card with her love and kisses signature. I want to tell you, her present means more to me than I can say.  She gives what she has and shares everything with others, no matter how big or how small.  She is the true spirit of Christmas.  Thank you, God, for sharing her with us.