We’re going deep this week beauties, stick with me and read on!
LISTEN : To pay attention to someone or something that you can hear.
Although we typically associate the idea of listening with our ears, we can still listen to someone through a medium that isn’t sound. Reading a letter, or more commonly today a text or DM should still involve paying attention to what is being said. In concept, it’s easy. But even though people can listen, we may not always be understood.
This almost feels like I’m about to go off on a tangent about acting. Because if you can listen you will be able to act truthfully.
Okay. Back on track. I love to share Marilyn’s style, beauty and (charisma uniqueness nerve and talent) but failing to acknowledge her tribulations within these moments I feel neglects listening to part of her legacy. A part that isn’t glamorous, but her raw truth.
There is much I could write about regarding Marilyn’s upbringing, childhood and relationship with her mother. And so many already have. And if you haven’t already clicked, I like to keep my moments relevant to my blogging date. On March 2nd, 1961 Marilyn’s analyst, Dr. Greenson received a letter detailing her recent traumatic experience at the Payne – Whitney Hospital. Betrayed by her therapist Dr.Kris, who had encouraged her to self-admit to recover and refresh from physical and mental exhaustion, Marilyn, having recently wrapped filming on The Misfits and divorced from Miller, checked in with no hesitation. But directly after, one of her worst fears became a reality: history was repeating itself and she was being “locked up” just as her mother and grandmother had been.
The letter to Greenson is heartbreaking. It only takes a small Google search to read it’s entirety. (Or it can be found with many more insights in Fragments : which I highly recommend for any MM fan!) It’s clear that even with money, and position, people were listening, but she wasn’t being understood or getting the help she so desperately needed.
Below are photos of when she checked out of Columbia Presbyterian, a week after the letter, and thankfully a restorative stay.
It blows my mind to see so many people, and reporters there to snap a photo of her leaving a place of healing. Last night I watched the New York Times Free Britney documentary, and it goes to show that even 60 years later we have much to learn. The same patterns are repeating, especially with women in the public eye. How the media can, and still try to control and portray a women’s image. But that is yet another tangent, for another day.
But as it is March, and National Women’s History month, I hope we can all continue to speak up, stand up for and learn from Women.
As beautiful, or strong as we may perceive someone, we never truly know what is going on inside the mind of another. And stress, anxiety, trauma and depression are all subjective to each individual. We should never diminish each other’s feelings, but more importantly we should never diminish our own. I’m still learning to not ignore or push aside my own feelings. After a handful of dear friends speaking openly about how therapy had changed their lives, I made a promise to myself that 2021 would finally be the year I took the leap of faith. I admit, I am fortunate enough to not be in a vulnerable place right now, but my ‘fragile and over-weight baggage’ has been finally, and consensually handed to the right profesional. The padlocks being opened and i’m starting to unpacked.
With a generation growing up communicating digitally more frequently than in-person, I think we owe it to them to try and be transparent whenever possible. Stop hiding our truth. It really is okay, not to be okay. We need to speak, so they can listen and hopefully continue a healthier cycle.
This week’s moment isn’t really about a beautiful recreation. The look is simple. The hair is relaxed. The smile is still probably hiding depths of thought that we will never be able hear. But I hope that by sharing stories, and truth, we can continue to take steps forward in the right direction.
So if you’re still here, thank you for listening. I’ll leave you with the closing sentence of Monroe’s l961 letter.
Stay Well Beauties!
S
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