In May 2019, I learned that Doris Day, the quintessential all-American girl who was famous as a Hollywood actress and singer, passed away at 97. Doris Day epitomised what it meant to be a real 'lady'. Her posture was excellent. Her words - articulate. Her voice was pitch perfect. She wore the most stunning outfits. As an "old movie buff", today I have reminisced about Doris Day's incredible contribution to cinema and remember her as a ray of sunshine in the films that I grew up watching - including Pillow Talk,  Lover Come Back with Rock Hudson, Teacher's Pet with Clark Gable and That Touch of Mink with Cary Grant (video clip below).

In her personal life, she was no stranger to adversity. As a child, she was in a near-fatal car accident involving a train, which crushed her legs, leaving her unable to walk for a long period of time.

In adulthood, the sudden death of her husband Marty Melcher in 1968 was the catalyst to Doris' discovery that he and his business partner had squandered her life's earnings, leaving her deeply in debt.

In 2004, she also endured the loss of her son Terry who was her best friend. For many years after, Doris kept out of the media spotlight, instead choosing to dedicate her heart of gold to finding homes for stray/displaced dogs.Doris lived a large life and with it, there were the good times and the bad; just like anyone else. Yet she kept pushing through and taking on the learnings that both seasons brought, and she always came out on top. The important thing is that she lived life on her own terms, right up to the old age of 97. To me, that's the definition of truly living. Good times, bad times and adversity are a part of life - but it's how she adapted and lived her life over the long term, irrespective of the bumps on the road, that made her a success. Doris Day contributed enormously to our world through her acting and singing career spanning decades; inspiring happiness for millions of people.

Doris Day will always be remembered - she'll always be one of the best.