By: Martina Bowen

In 1987, a girl was born, and in 1989, a woman passed away. One of them would have a large impact on the life of the other. Ordinarily, this would be a difficult thing to imagine. The age difference alone throws it into impossibility. Please allow me to explain. The girl who was born in 1987 was me; the woman who passed away in 1989 was Hollywood superstar Bette Davis.

I may have had no effect on Miss Davis; however, she has had one of the biggest impacts on me. When she died I was only two and couldn’t even fathom what death was, let alone who Bette Davis was. It wasn’t until recently that I found out who she was. In 1926, Bette's mother took her and her sister to see a play called "The Wild Duck". She was very taken with the part of Hedwig. This was when she knew that she wanted to act. Bette has repaid her debt to Hedwig by inspiring someone else in turn. Because of her, I know what I want to do with my life.

There is much to be learned from her, if one takes the time to listen to what she had to say or observe the way that she lived. Working to get to the top is not easy, and has a lot of set-backs; she made this very clear. However, she also made it clear that you must never stop trying. If you believe in yourself and keep at it, you stand a very good chance of achieving your dreams. If you do not try, you will live with the regret of wondering if you could have made it. Bette lived life to the fullest, taking it by the horns so to speak. She was a woman who put her foot down, and fought so hard for what she wanted and what she believed in. I believe these are the most valuable lessons to be learned from her, regardless of one’s ambitions or rank Believe in what you are doing - do not give up.

This brings me to the professionalism of her acting. This woman, no matter how small the job may have been, always acted flawlessly. Sometimes her personal life took a back seat to her career, yet she still gave it 100%. This is another valuable lesson that resonated with me. If you truly wish to reach for the stars, you must be vigilant. When you do succeed, you have to continue to give it your best.

Hollywood wanted to turn Bette into another beauty queen. She fought hard for the parts that she wanted. In many cases, those parts were better than the ones they wanted her to play. She had no problem playing devious parts, or those which did not make her look very "beautiful". She worked so hard, and her amazing ability proved that determination far exceeds hardship. Bette inspires for this reason. That in itself is another lesson. When you set out to do something great like she did, it sets an example for others who wish to follow in your footsteps.

I wish that I could’ve talked to her just once. I know this can never be, but if I could, I would thank her for her individuality, and how she set an example. Because of her, I want to risk everything and fight anything in my path to get to where I want to be. I would tell her that while others are obsessed with fame and fortune, I’m obsessed with creating art on film like she did. I want her to know that no one could ever take her place. I want her to know what her life means to me. I don’t believe that many stars of today are capable of inspiring such passion. I believe the only other actress that compared to her was Greta Garbo. I may be biased, but I truly believe that Bette Davis was the greatest actress we've ever had and possibly ever will have. She may have heard this from her many fans, but I’d want to tell her personally.

I recently discovered the Bette Davis Foundation, which was formed in 1997 by Bette's son and a longtime family friend of the Davis'. According to the official Bette Davis website: "This nonprofit and tax exempt institution awards scholarships to outstanding college students who show promise in the craft that Miss Davis was, for many, the epitome of excellence. In conjunction with the scholarships, a Bette Davis Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an actor or actress whose work exemplifies the high standards Miss Davis set forth." When I saw this, I nearly fell out of my chair. I instantly knew that this was something I should reach for - as a tribute to Bette Davis herself. Keeping in mind what I’ve learned from her, it would serve as my continuation of her body of work. I now consider myself honored to have a shot.

In conclusion, though we didn’t grace this earth together but a couple of years, I’ve developed a sisterhood with her. I will never stop trying to learn from her, nor will I ever take her lessons for granted. It is so wonderful to have such a strong, passionate woman to look up to. Her strength has given me strength of my own. I know that fear cannot be a roadblock unless you allow it to be. I will try my best to honor her memory, use her amazing influence, and make her proud that I’m following in her footsteps.

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