ELZABETH EDWARDS FAREWELL TO A NINJA WARRIOR
Elizabeth Edwards ended a exciting life story on December 7th. At the young age of 61, her body could take no more. As a young woman, Elizabeth took the hard road of college and then law school. She had her own legal practice. She was clearly a role model and a pioneer for the education of women. Her daughter also became an attorney. Her oldest son died. In her late forties, she decided to have two more children - perhaps this was a stimulus to her eventually developing her fatal breast cancer.
Elizabeth was a ninja. She could swing the sword and dodge an attack. Her beauty in her youth is undeniable and she carried her beauty and grace into her final years.
Unfortunately, with all of her accomplishments, she will be most remembered for her battle at home between her, her husband John and his sexual partner who John paid with our hard-earned public money. Yes, John was really a "John" paying for sex.
Confronted with her cancer Elizabeth came out swinging. She was fierce and she focused on the goal - beat the cancer and live for her family. She was not a victim. She learned to live with the diagnosis and the numerous negative comments she received from well-wishers and the media. Elizabeth was certain she was winning. She felt all were really on her side . She never expected her biggest opponent was lurking in the shadows, next to her on a daily basis and feeding her lies. In fact, she bravely committed to continuing in the wife role to have John elected as President of the United States. She told all of us he was honest and the best man for the job. Little did she know the truth. And it was all about to play out on televison - no where to hide. No dignity left. Humiliation as a wife, mother and work partner. She was supposed to know John thoroughly…she was his wife. Sneaking, surreptitiously John crept and her soul and spirit were exposed and vulnerable...sharing the house, the food, the bed and usurping her energy - energy she needed to fight the cancer.
When the possibility of an affair arose, Elizabeth acted, backed by her soul mate’s reassurance, to deny the possibility of such betrayal. She assured us John was honest and honorable. The sexual partner wanted some recognition, so she and John met in hotels to enjoy their baby. I’m sure she was taking secret pictures to ensure she had the evidence, if needed to entitle her to a significant future income.
When Elizabeth spoke with Oprah on TV, Elizabeth tried to separate herself from the problem, she was the mom and wife. She resented this other woman trying to come in and claim her life. Elizabeth said she worked hard for her life and this new woman would not be allowed to just come in and “takeover.” However, the demon spirit had let this other woman in. The woman could not have come in unless someone close to Elizabeth betrayed her in her time of greatest need. John opened the door and began a series of lies that created a web that sucked the life from Elizabeth.
Down, but not dead, Elizabeth rose. Injured and breathless, she stood weakly on her feet…she was on her own and her kids would be her only supporters. Oprah confronted John in the hallway of his house and questioned him about the affair. John had the look of hate and disgust as he tried to answer Oprah’s questions with his trained political grace. His eyes became squinty as he looked at Oprah, casting a negative ray towards the talk-show hostess. Oprah acted as if she did not notice, but if he could have, John would have given her a left to the head. He was still playing the southern gentleman role. Meanwhile, Elizabeth struggled to grab onto any shreds of dignity she could find. Not yet finished, the other woman moves into a house near Elizabeth and John’s home on an island in South Carolina. Demons all and carrying an innocent baby…or a future mini demon. Only time will tell.
By now Elizabeth is gasping for air, crawling, begging for family support. "Tell this woman not to move next door on our island" - John is paying. Then the sex tapes. The other woman was gathering evidence against John and she, a professional photographer, had been taking videos of John having sex. These tapes were found by John’s campaign manager, who became involved in the cover-up. The campaign manager was dependent on John for income, so he told John he would claim to be the father of the baby and let the women hide at his house during the pregnancy. His wife agreed to the scheme. They decided to keep the tapes just in case John tried to abandon them in the end. Of course, John, as the demon, did just that and the existence of the tapes became public. John’s sexual partner claimed the tapes were stolen from the house; the campaign manager claimed the tapes were thrown in the trash and retrieved by his wife during a clean-up outside of her room.
Elizabeth’s story is not very unusual if you watch Jerry Springer or the Maury Povitch Show. It was unusual in that we saw every bit play out in public, because of the election coverage, and the parties were wealthy, educated, people in high level jobs…running for U.S. President. How bizarre.
It was not a surprise that Elizabeth died, but an honor to her strength and will to live so long and fight for every inch of respect she could gather.
As a woman, we understand her story and we pray for her soul. She is now with her son.
John and his girlfriend are probably off partying. For them too the ordeal is ending and, like Camilla Parker Bowles, after the death of Diana, the two of them can now devise a cover story and continue in a fake shroud of respect and normalcy.
God Bless You Elizabeth. We women will not forget. Surely, we will see this as a movie forever.
