The Queen’s Last Words
Sarah Ferguson, “Fergie”, the Duchess of York, was especially close to Queen Elizabeth II, even after and notwithstanding the divorce from Prince Andrew. Her mother and Queen Elizabeth had been lifelong friends and Elizabeth had known Sarah her entire life and in many ways treated her more like a daughter than daughter-in-law. Sarah put it this way: “The queen was much more my mother than my mother was. I called her Mumma. She never let me down, even if I let her down. Even through the darkest days, she never left me.”
Even those of us who are not particularly “royal watchers” have a soft spot for Fergie. There has been a wholesomeness and decency about her in the face of marital betrayal and health issues played out before an unfriendly press. One of her great struggles was her self-doubt and insecurity in the face of aging and a battle with her weight. It’s one thing to have your beauty fade in private, it’s something else to have it happen in the tabloid press.
And so as Elizabeth lay dying, she drew Sarah to her side and said this, “Sarah, remember that yourself is good enough.”
Simple yet profound, these are words for all of us. “Yourself is good enough.” Good enough for whatever we face, good enough for all of our critics, good enough for our self doubts. When we’re betrayed, it doesn’t matter, because “ourself” is good enough. When we stumble, we can pick ourselves up and fight on, because “ourself” is good enough.
After all, who do we have but “ourself”? Who has the right to criticize you for being who you are?
No, the Queen was right. “Remember that yourself is good enough.”