That will be all, Ms. Fine

I have a small television screen in my kitchen. It is a nice way to catch up on the news, or watch a favorite sitcom while preparing dinner and my husband unwinds on his computer and my son does the assignment for his college classes. They are busy, and it is rare they come in the kitchen and keep me company. So, the TV is a willing substitute. It adds a small measure of light heartedness to the inevitable repetitiveness that is the daily ritual of making dinner. I catch myself laughing at the antics of the actors, shedding light on the hilarity of some of the aspects of daily life. One such show I enjoy is a show from the nineties, " The Nanny ", with Fran Drescher in the the title role, as a very resourceful and funny woman from Flushing, Queens, who lands a job as a nanny to a wealthy family in Manhattan. She plays a character that is in your face, funny, smart, sexy, warm and ingenious. She wears outrageous outfits, bold and loud, and is a kick in the pants. As I was going through the motions to get dinner ready, it occurred to me how many people, knowingly and unknowingly, help us get through our days, in big and small ways. On first glance, a comedic actress's show from the nineties would seem to have little to do with putting a smile on my face at dinner time. But she does, as I am sure many an actor and actress do who make us laugh, and forget the troubles of the day, give us a feeling of belonging briefly to their world, allowing us to escape the limitations of our own world for an hour or so, creating a sense of community as illusory as that may be. To people who have a lot of family and connections my observation and admission may be perceived as pitiful, but in the absence of that abundance, I am grateful for the many comedians who put their talents to good work, now and in the past, and bring me some cheer and warmth, and perspective, through the technology of that ever present device in much of modern life, the TV. It allows me to imagine some days that it is me who is the feisty Ms. Fine, getting yet again out of a scrape she got herself in with her boss, or her overbearing Jewish  family, making me wish I still had an extended family who would squabble and fuss over me. I will never meet Fran Drescher, but I feel like I know her , and I am glad she created Fran Fine, who brings me a good chuckle every time I invite her and her antics into my kitchen. Thank you, Ms. Fine. I was also impressed that Ms. Drescher is a uterine cancer survivor, and a staunch supporter of women's health and LGBT rights, and is known for her work as a Public Diplomacy Envoy for Women's Health Issues for the U.S. State Department. That is pretty impressive, inspiring me to give the best of my talents each and every day. Thank you, Ms. Drescher, for bringing both a measure of laughter and hope to women. I can use both.