The road of Life is marked by many milestones and, all too often, many tombstones. Barbara Billingsley's can now be added to the list of the later. Better known as June Cleaver to the millions of fans of Leave It to Beaver, Billingsley died Saturday. Perhaps what made her the iconic Mom to my generation was because she often spoke the sweetest words that a child in trouble could hear: "Ward, I think you're being too hard on the boys."
"Ward," of course is Ward Cleaver, June's husband played by Hugh Beaumont. Interestingly, of all the 277 entries that I have posted to this blog up to today, a very early one from February 16, 2009 marking what would have been Hugh Beaumont's 100th birthday remains Martha's favorite, and one of mine, too.
As I alluded to in that post, Leave It to Beaver was not about a simpler time, it was about a better time. Indeed, every week we were introduced to some very complicated times in Beaver's life. During one episode for example, he and his friends all agreed to stick out their tongues when the class picture was taken, but as it turned out, Beaver was the only one who carried through on the promise.
Leave It to Beaver dealt not with simple times, but with simple solutions; solutions still available to us, should we summon the courage to use them. Be honest. Be respectful. Do the right thing because it's the right thing to do. Look out for your brother. Look out for your children. Were we to embrace these solutions, it would not make the world any less complicated, but it would certainly make the world better. Barbara Billingsley helped teach all of us that through her portrayal of June.
When I watch Leave It to Beaver now, I identify still with Beaver because that child is still in me, but I also identify with Ward and June because I am now a parent. Ward often had a hard time explaining life to Wally and Beaver, because life is a hard thing to explain. After all, Beaver stayed true to his word and stuck out his tongue, but his friends forsook him and he was left to face the punishment by himself. How does a father explain that? Turns out, fathers can do a great deal when mothers have faith in them. It was always clear to me, even as a boy, that Ward wouldn't have been such a good father, if June weren't such a good wife and mother.
Here's to June Cleaver. Thanks, Barbara Billingsley for bringing her to life.
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