l'abondance

As Thanksgiving approaches, we think of all our blessings. It is a time here to celebrate our good fortune, our security, our cornucopia of food, shelter, light. We give thanks for our abundance. Even those of us with little.

Then there are the others. Those whose lives are defined by abundance. The wealthiest. The most regal. The ladies who lunch and the men who support them. What must it be like to live a life of abundance? What would happen to the you that you know if you were defined by the content of your closets instead of the content of your character? Would you survive?

Two case studies: both women who came to their jobs early in life - both women who lived apart from the world around them - both women with royal duties and royal responsibilities - both women who faced a crisis of the monarchy. How did they respond?

Marie Antoinette, the original "peel me a grape" gal, played shepardess at the Petit Trianon whie the French were starving. She ignored the warning signs and paid for it with her life. As Marie goes through a political make-over now, due to a book and a movie, and we learn that she never did really say "let them eat cake," we do need to remember that she was the original Valley Girl. She partied. She spent. She drank. She fooled around. She was only 14, for heaven's sake, when thrust by her mother, the Empress of Austria, into Louis XVI's cold and impotent bed. But still, even after24 years of French Royalty, she ignored the signs. Mothers from Paris stormed Versaille because their childen were starving. France was out of bread. And Marie just partied on. She ignored a crisis of the monarchy and did not survive. "Off with her head," they shouted.




Another royal, who also came to her job at a young age, is the current Queen Elizabeth, And here the lesson begins. She has always done her job. She meets her responsibilities. She doesn't spend lavishly or party-hardy. And when faced with a crisis of the monarchy, at the death of Princess Di, she did what she had to do - she met the people and read their stinging critiques, and made peace with them. The monarchy was saved and so was she.

What can we learn from this?

It's tough to be Queen?

Or better yet, when faced with your own responsibilities, meet them head-on. As Spike Lee said, "Do the right thing."

And save the pastries for later.