A Love Note to High Heels and Diane Keaton

Look, on the long list of things I love, two things show up repeatedly: Books and Diane Keaton.

To my great delight, I recently happened onto a book written by Diane Keaton.  (Be still, my heart.)  So of course I snatched that ladybug right off the shelf of the used bookstore that’s named The Second Chapter, which is a most perfect name for a charming little bookstore that smells like vanilla and dust and love.

She stole my heart with her opening words:

“I’ve always loved independent women, outspoken women, eccentric women, funny women, flawed women.  When someone says about a woman, “I’m sorry, that’s just wrong,” I tend to think she might be doing something right.”

Yes.  Yes.  Yes.

And this:

“I love funny women.  They make funny beautiful.”

Isn’t that so wonderfully, blessedly true?  I love women who can make me laugh.  Quick wit draws me in – hook, line and sinker.

And then this, on the topic of plastic surgery, but it’s about far more than that:

“People ask me why I’ve never had work done.  The truth is I respect women who have had work done just as much as I respect those who haven’t.  We’re all just trying to make it through the day.”

I’m pretty sure that line could be the grace note for every woman, one to another: we’re all just trying to make it through the day.

And this, on her favorite part of her body:

“My favorite part of my body is my eyes.  Not because of their color and God knows not because of their shape, but because of what they see.”

Oh, my.  May I always be more interested in the beauty that surrounds me than the one I carry into the room.

And this, her love note to high heels:

“People can trash high heels all they want: they’re impossible to walk in, they serve no purpose.  This is completely unfair, and frankly not true.  Look, maybe ‘high-heeled beauty is pain,’ maybe it’s expensive, but every woman needs a pair of genius high heels. Once in a while, a gal owes herself this kind of fix.

Here is my advice: When in doubt, stick with black.  Black will never disappoint.  And always remember to accessorize.  Don’t be timid.  Paint those toenails and sticker them up.  Embrace your arches.  Don’t shy away from toe rings and ankle bracelets, either. 

Learn to take compliments.  I haven’t, but you should.  Compliments linger.

One more tip:

Save your shoes.  Save them all.  Mark my words: you’ll revisit wearing them sooner than you think.  Plus, they’re stimulants.  Like music, they can take you back to certain moments, certain people, certain memories.”

And these nuggets from her mom:

“You don’t have to be perfect to be beautiful.”

“Walk in power.”

“Find a reason to love yourself every day.”

“Buy yourself a gift, just for being you.”

“Honor yourself, Diane.  You deserve it.”

Dear Diane, thank you for being who you are, your voice in the world, your beautiful age that counts all of the years.  I love how you pave the way.

And now if you’ll excuse me, I probably need to go watch Something’s Gotta Give yet again.  I can’t seem to get enough.