King/Queen for a Day

I mentioned on Twitter (yes, I Tweet, but I'm not sure if I like it or am doing it right) that it has been a good week for royalty. Let me explain.

Last Tuesday, her Majesty celebrated 60 years on the English throne. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity for us to watch the Diamond Jubilee. Think about it, both Charles and William are too old or will be too old by the time they ascend the thrown to reign for 60 years. So it was with great excitement and pride (being of English descent) that I got up early to watch the Queen and the celebration covered by the Daily Telegraph.
Elizabeth actually is very important to many of us. True, she has no real political power, but what she represents is something far greater than anything any elected official has achieved lately. She symbolizes national pride; she is living history; she has stayed strong in the face of a drastically changing world; Lillibet is truly a woman to look up to.

The very popular "Keep calm ..." posters were actually spawned from the British mentality of keeping a stiff upper lip, and Lillibet personifies the ability to keep calm and ever so regally carry on. That's why I like her. The Queen is always graceful; the Queen is always calm. You don't see the Queen cry over hard work, or a war, or even death. You see the Queen muscle on. God Bless her! In honor of Lillibet I collected some of my favorite Keep Calms from Pinterest as well as an Instagram photo of my toast to Lillibet, which consisted of wine purchased from an English store in Santa Monica.

Also included is my champagne toast to the Los Angeles Kings on the tv screen. Last night the Los Angeles Kings won their first Stanley Cup!! I grew up with a dad who loves hockey and loves the Kings, so last night was a special one for my father who has waited almost his entire life to see this victory. Now, I am not a sports fanatic, but the passion my dad has for hockey is ever inspiring to me. My dad stuck by his team through all of their lackluster seasons and never gave up hope that one day they would be recognized for being the best. That's the thing about sports and about dads: they teach you to never give up on the people you care about. I shudder to think where I would be today if I had a father who gave up on me when I wasn't at my best.

Lessons learned from monarchy: keep calm and you set a great example; wait long enough and a once in a lifetime opportunity will find you, so long as you have goals.

Hope today is a calming one : )