Everything starts with hearts and minds

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If I’ve learned one thing throughout all my careers is change must come.

Whether it’s structural change or social change, the prolific Anonymous offers this pithy axiom: To change the world, first change yourself.

I believe to change yourself you have to open your mind, open your heart and let go of fear. This is how I’ve felt since I was a young girl when I made the radical decision at thirteen to make the journey to becoming “Miss Somebody.”

At the time, I had no other plan but to put one foot in front of the other to take myself into Manhattan from Queens. I was determined to open the heart and mind of Mr. George Bennett, the right-hand man to Mr. Milton Blackstone. He was the agent of the most handsome thing I’d ever laid eyes on, and who was at the time not too famous: Eddie Fisher.

To make this long story short, my idea was to have all of Eddie’s fans, worshippers, followers, and admirers be in constant touch with each other, to organize, to find others of like minds and hearts, and to take action with local disc jockeys and talent bookers – you get the picture: An Eddie Fisher Fan Club. I knew in my heart and mind my never before attempted idea would make him famous.

My earnest appeal opened the heart and the mind of Mr. Bennett. Tossing the piles of mail onto a desk he said, “See if you can get these thousands of girls to do what you say they’ll do.”

I did. And more. After Eddie Fisher, I helped Steve Lawrence. Many more became stars through my ardent efforts after that. Again, I had the feeling that change must come.

Each change brought me closer to my ultimate journey: Hollywood. After I had been there awhile, it was being said, “If anybody can help you with your career, Rona Barrett can.” As each heart and each mind was opened, their lives changed – and so did mine.

Through those years my ambition kept my heart and my mind open and I let go of fear. Eventually, I was able to cross the threshold of television and enjoyed a career that I always knew, with persistence, I could obtain.

After thirty plus years in the “business,” and becoming “Miss Somebody,” I had that old feeling that change must come.

Once again, I put one foot in front of the other and followed a new path.

For the last couple of decades, the concerns of seniors and the challenges they face has been my “beat.” I started a small foundation to raise funds for the elderly who needed help in their time of need. With the help of the County of Santa Barbara Housing Authority we built the Golden Inn & Village, one of the first Affordable Housing homes for seniors in our community. It is my pride and my joy.

Change is still coming. At the Golden Inn & Village, in our Valley, in our state, in our country, and in the world. I happen to believe that while this path to change is more than sometimes difficult to navigate, we can embrace it if we can let go of fear and keep our hearts and minds open.

Until next time…keep thinking the good thoughts.