Goodbye to an icon

We all mourn Patrick Swayze today, an iconic actor who contributed to the soundtrack of many of our lives. For me, The Outsiders remains a huge part of my childhood, and I can still remember how comforting it was to see him as the big brother looking out for his family the best way he knew how.

But Dirty Dancing holds a special place in my memory as well. That movie themed a summer of my life, and I remember desperately wishing to visit this fictional resort. But fantasy aside, the movie gave me a unique -- and surprising -- opportunity to bond with my mother. She did not seem the Dirty Dancing type. As a matter of fact, I expected her to ban the movie in her strict, Italian-Catholic fashion, classifying it as too risque for a kid my age.

That was not the case. My mother watched Dirty Dancing every single day. With me, without me, it didn't matter. Of course, it was a trip to watch it together, since we didn't often share the same taste in movies or music. She never said what she liked about it; not being an expressive person, she kept her thoughts to herself. But she would hum along with the music, watch wistfully as the dancers performed their routines. And, quite possibly, felt a pang of jealousy for Jennifer Grey and her proximity to the sexy Swayze. That's my theory, anyway.

I will always be grateful to the talented stars of Dirty Dancing for breaking through that wall my mother kept strong around her, for giving her something that brought her enough joy when it seemed she didn't keep much, enough that she could let it show nearly every day for a whole summer.

Rest in peace, Patrick, and thank you for sharing your gifts with the world.