On May 4th, I celebrate Audrey’s Life.
Her 92nd Birthday.
Yes, she wore Tiffany’s Diamonds, but she was most of all a compassionate humanitarian. A family gal.
I have been in love with Audrey since watching “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” Who didn’t fall in love with her after that movie?
I wanted to have a cat named Cat. I admire her elegance, her determination, and how genuine and humble she was. Her take on the world, on women, on sex appeal—her take on herself.
“I’m like cat here, a no-name slob. We belong to nobody and nobody belongs to us. We don’t even belong to each other.” ~ Audrey, “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”
To me, she represents a woman going after what she wanted and using her voice and influence to make this world a more compassionate one.
Here are six quotes from her that I adore. I would have loved to hear her say these words out loud, in that humble, straightforward Audrey way she had.
1. “I was born with an enormous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it.”
This is one of the examples of why I love her voice so much; she always opened herself and shared who she was.
I feel really connected to this quote. I have always had a hunger for affection. For many years, when people asked me what kind of life I wanted, I would say I wanted to be in love, not only loved but to love as well. Nothing makes me happier than seeing a person smiling from the love that I can share with them.
2. “The greatest victory has been to be able to live with myself, to accept my shortcomings…I’m a long way from the human being I’d like to be. But I’ve decided I’m not so bad after all.”
In a world of constant betterment, improvement, and goals to be achieved, she has reminded me that I have come a long way, and I am not so bad after all. Just as I could be better, I could also be worse.
3. “Sex appeal is something that you feel deep down inside. It’s suggested rather than shown. I’m not as well-stacked as Sophia Loren or Gina Lollobrigida, but there is more to sex appeal than just measurements. I don’t need a bedroom to prove my womanliness. I can convey just as much sex appeal, picking apples off a tree or standing in the rain.”
Talk about women empowerment. We don’t need particular measurements or looks to feel sexy, to be beautiful. Our body is perfection as it is. I believe the moment we can feel grateful that we have legs to walk on, the power to speak, arms to hug and love, eyes to see, and a heart to feel, we will forget to care about what our body “looks like” and smile because we have everything we need.
4. “I can testify to what UNICEF means to children, because I was among those who received food and medical relief right after World War II. I have a long-lasting gratitude and trust for what UNICEF does.”
“I don’t believe in collective guilt, but I do believe in collective responsibility.”
Her name and legacy live inside her work as a Goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. She traveled the world to raise awareness and make change for the most vulnerable children. Her granddaughter Emma Ferrer, continues with the work with UNICEF. She shared in an interview with UNICEF:
“There is so much history in my grandmother’s life that people don’t know about. I think it’s important that people understand that her own personal history was closely tied with UNICEF. It was the first UNICEF agents that were assembled in 1946 who pulled her out of this terrible famine [in the Netherlands] after the war and really saved her life. “
She used her success as means to make a bigger difference for children and mothers.
5. “I’m not a born actress, as such, I care about expressing feelings.”
I believe people followed her and connected with her because she was genuine. She expressed what she felt through her acting, her career, her words, her work with children, and her family. I believe this is the best quality to have to be genuine—to share from your heart. Having this, anything you do will connect with others.
6. Let’s face it, a nice creamy chocolate cake does a lot for a lot of people; it does for me.
I don’t think there is any need to elaborate on this quote. I love chocolate cake, especially dark chocolate.
I feel as if she enjoyed the most simple things of life. Because of her difficult time growing up in times of war, she knew firsthand what it was like to feel hungry. She was also abandoned by her dad at an early age, but she focused on the good things life gave her—she didn’t dwell on the past.
I would like to honor her birthday by honoring her quotes, and hopefully, with some chocolate cake.
Thank you, Audrey, for being an inspiration to my life.
“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.” ~ Audrey Hepburn
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AUTHOR: MICHELLE GUTIERREZ
IMAGE: WIKIMEDIA COMMONS
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