"Diana was the very essence of compassion, of duty, of style, of beauty. All over the world she was a symbol of selfless humanity. All over the world, a standard bearer for the rights of the truly downtrodden, a very British girl who transcended nationality. Someone with a natural nobility who was classless and who proved in the last year that she needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic." ~ Earl Charles Spencer (excerpt eulogy of Diana, Princess of Wales, September 6, 1997)
The Queen Of Hearts Diana, Princess Of Wales 1961 - 1997
The legacy left by Princess Diana is the framework for living an admirable existence. Princess Diana's tragic and sudden death on August 31, 1997 gave the world a reason to view her life retrospectively.
Affectionately labeled "The Queen of Hearts", Princess Diana is revered for the compassion which thrived in her heart. Princess Diana was a symbol of goodness. Her goodness was molded from caring, kindness, responsiveness, generosity, and charity.
Princess Diana's humanitarian causes channeled her energy into helping people around the world. She was blessed with intelligence, beauty, poise, and sensitivity. Compounded by marrying royalty, the world became Princess Diana's stage. She used her position to bring about change, to provoke awareness, and to extend her tenderness.
People were in awe of how much Princess Diana gave of herself to others. In an age when selfishness seems sometimes to be the norm, and selflessness the exception, Princess Diana's spirit appeared heroic. Fame and recognition allowed Princess Diana's altruistic efforts to be prominent. Most people lack the celebrity and luminary quality of Princess Diana, yet what is to prevent benevolence on a smaller scale or a smaller stage for any person?
By lending time and enthusiasm to humanitarian and charitable causes, we can find in our own hearts what we found to be so inspiring in Princess Diana's heart. We can take the legacy she left us and entwine it with our own lives.
Gone...Like A Candle In The Wind
The suddenness of the tragedy which befell Princess Diana reminded us of mortality. It caused us to reflect on several facets of death and alluded to how quickly life can end. Life can halt in an instant, taking with it hopes, dreams, goals, unfinished plans, and unexplored horizons.
An introspective view of mortality leads us to the realization that each and every moment is precious and not to be wasted. We are not guaranteed a certain amount of time before we die, but we can guarantee ourselves that the time we are given will be lived admirably.
Since life can be extinguished quickly, we must maximize our happiness, our goodness, and our generosity. We must look within our own hearts and find the same warmth which we saw in Princess Diana's exemplary heart.
The pain and limitation of chronic arthritis seemingly detracts from life at times. The disease takes away some aspects of living, makes other aspects more challenging, and yet leaves certain perspectives such as good will and sincerity untouched.
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First published: 09/09/1997
