When I was a child, my father taught me five words that I've used all my life — in my acting career, as a mother, in my business activities. If I 1 that I was afraid of the dark, or if I seemed worried about meeting new people, Dad would say, "Stand porter to your find."
A porter is a gatekeeper, who stands at a door 2 people in or out. Dad would get me to 3 myself stopping destructive things — such as fear — at the door, but saying "Come in" to faith, love and confidence.
As a(n) 4 before I went on camera, I'd make sure anxiety stayed out and confidence in my ability came in. As a mother, when I was 5 about my children, I would try not to let worry in but would 6 my mind with trust in them.
Of course there were always times I'd 7 those words.
In 1972 my husband, Fillmore Crank, and I opened the doors to our own 8 in North Holly wood. This was a new business venture for us, and it was a lot more 9 and complicated than we had 10 .
We were on call 24 hours a day. Something was always going wrong. Electricity went on the blink, food wasn't delivered, employees called in sick. Once, a pandemic suddenly left us with no servants. Fillmore gave me a 11 : scrub floors or do the laundry. For 10 days I folded enough king-size sheets to blanket the whole state of California.
Then there was the 12 crisis. The price of gasoline doubled, and tourism in California 13 . How could we fill our beds? What if we kept losing money? What if we failed? Fear and worry were sneaking in. But I caught them just 14 . I stood porter.
I stood in the door of my mind and sent fear packing.
These days at the hotel, whenever fear tries to register, I just smile and point to the sign that 15 No Vacancy.
