Robert Redford.

I must have fallen in love with Robert Redford during "The Way We Were." Gosh he was beautiful in that movie. Still is, if you ask me. And he has always been one of those elusive stars which makes him even a little more appealing.

I have had some friends and family members say that they have seen him at different times up at the restaurant in Sundance, but I have never been so lucky. And even though I did see him briefly as I quickly drove by him once (I posted about it here), that isn't really the same thing.

I do have a little bit of a connection though. I was hoping it would someday serve me and eventually segway, somehow, to an eventual meeting - but I think that chance has, sadly, passed me by.

Here is the connection (it's a little bit of a 6 degrees of separation story): Robert Redford married Lola Van Wagenen in 1958. Lola's brother, Richard, moved to the town I lived in when I was a little girl, and my parents became good friends with he and his wife. Once they had asked my mother if I could go with them on their trip to Utah to help tend their children while they were visiting his sister and her family .... I'm not quite sure why that didn't work out back then - darn it.

And now, over 35 years later, as luck would have it, my parents' home in Sundance is right next door to the Van Wagenen's vacation home. And even though Lola and Robert divorced a long time ago, it would still put me up in his vicinity ... and maybe I could somehow run into him ... and I'm divorced now too ... and he's old, so I don't need to be someone famous ... well, you see where my mind sometimes goes. Can I help that I travel to La La Land every once in a while?

Sigh.

I recently read where Robert Redford wed his long time girlfriend, Sibylle Szaggars, a German artist (or something like that), back in July.

Sigh again.

But I do like his holiday message: I wish you all love, peace, tolerance, and compassion.