She isn't the one in a mink coat or on magazine cover. She's the one who smiles and waves while pulling in the garbage cans, who listens intently, who shows up, who makes the most of what she has. She's Mary Tyler Moore tossing her hat in the air, a little uncertain, a little brave, and completely herself.
The girl next door is the gold standard, not because she shines the brightest, but because her light is real. She is warmth. She too sometimes has wobbly mornings, but she draws a breath, adjusts her shoulders, and steps forward anyway.
And Mary Tyler Moore remains, for many of us, the gold standard of the girl next door. (Before her, it was Antonia Shimerda, in this writer's opinion). READ MORE
