Charlie’s Angel

This past Friday, the documentary, “Farrah's Story,” was aired in America. The film was NBC's most-watched program in its Friday night time slot in more than a year. "Farrah's Story" details the former Charlie's Angels star's treatment and hopes for recovery, following her through chemotherapy and other grueling treatment. Fawcett, 62, was diagnosed in 2006 with anal cancer that has sadly spread to her liver.

Farrah Fawcett and Charlie’s Angels are American pop culture icons. Farrah’s hairstyle was once sported by millions of young women, and she was a sex symbol for millions of men in the 1970s and 1980s. In a 1977 interview with TV Guide, Farrah said: "When the show was number three, I thought it was our acting. When we got to be number one, I decided it could only be because none of us wears a bra". For those too young to remember Farrah Fawcett and the original television version of Charlie’s Angel, the series inspired two feature films: Charlie's Angels (2000) and Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle (2003), which has sparked a whole new generation Charlie’s Angels fans.

Regarding the documentary, Kate Jackson, former Charlie’s Angels co-star, stated that Fawcett "didn't do this to show that she is unique, she did it to show that we are all unique... (T)his was...meant to be a gift to others to help and inspire them.” Although probably more heart-wrenching than inspiring, I believe the documentary, “Farrah’s Story,” shows the commonality of the human experience rather than the uniqueness of all. Fame and fortune, beauty and youth, do not insulate us from the painful side of life. As Job in the Bible states: “How frail is humanity! How short is life, how full of trouble! We blossom like a flower and then wither. Like a passing shadow, we quickly disappear.”[1]

Farrah Fawcett has not only been battling with cancer for 2-1/2 years, but her son Redmond, by actor Ryan O'Neal, has struggled with addiction. In April 2009, on probation for a DUI, he was arrested for possession of narcotics while Farrah was in the hospital. Oh, how familiar a story. Think of all the millions of less known mothers and fathers who have a chapter like this in their undocumented life story.

I too can identify with Farrah’s story. In 1981, my father lost his battle to colon cancer after it had spread to his liver. Twenty years ago I too had a colon cancer scare; which is why today I am a vegetarian. My mother-in-law is a survivor of colon cancer, but unfortunately my father-in-law lost his fight against colon cancer. Cancer is like a reoccurring nightmare in my family. I can recall the weekly radiation treatments and radiation implants that my mother had to endure before losing her battle to cervical cancer. Farrah says, "I do not want to die of this disease. So I say to God, `It is seriously time for a miracle.’" Whether we die of this disease or that disease, or simply fall asleep and not wake up, we all will die. Death is an inevitable part of our human experience.

Your battle today may be your health, a family member’s health, a child’s addiction or incarceration, or you may be grieving the recent loss of a loved one, or watching a loved one fade away. Maybe your life is going well; you are young, beautiful or handsome, and healthy, and there’s no trouble in sight and your only battle is trying to fulfill your life's aspiration. Whatever your story, it’s not unique. As the Bible says, "...people are like the grass. Their beauty fades as quickly as the flowers in a field." Therefore, let us all think on the following words of advice this week:

Stand firm…, be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sister all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are…. So after you have suffered a little while, [God] will restore, support, and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation.[2]

[1] Job 14:1-2 (NLT)
[2] 1 Peter 5:9-10 (NLT)