“Writing is like breathing to me!” – Nora Ephron
A great hero of women writers everywhere died this week. With hardly any warning Nora Ephron slipped away. Apparently even her closest friends had no idea how very ill she had become.
Nora has been a personal hero of mine for decades, although clearly I had no idea of the diversity of her talents.
Did you know she was a pioneer as a female screen writer, director, producer, as well as a fabulous essayist?
What were her finest qualities as a writer? She could be so funny, while also being honest, sentimental and sweet in so many ways. She was famous for telling it like it is, but saying it in such an endearing way!
Who can forget those scenes from my FAVORITE romantic comedy, When Harry Met Sally? Nora had a way of saying things we really weren’t supposed to say. How about that orgasm scene in the NYC restaurant!
Though initially reluctant to dip her toe into the blogosphere, Nora was a born blogger. She quickly learned that blogging was a great way “to start a conversation and create community which comes together briefly to talk about things they might not be talking about if you hadn’t written your blog.”
She wrote close to 100 posts for the Huff Post over the years, each containing countless examples of her priceless wit and insight — touching on everything from politics to pop culture to food, one of her personal favorites. She also helped to bring divorce out of the shadows and into the light of humor. She was raised in a writing family who said regularly, “Everything is copy!”
Let me end with one of my favorite quotes from this woman of so many witty and profound words: “Marriages comes and go, but divorce is forever!”
I will miss you in this world Nora!
