“If you might’t say anything nice, come sit by me.”

Something else it is certainly not short on?

Lessons to be gleaned and held onto.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS, Dolly Parton, Olympia Dukakis, 1989

Credit: Everett Collection

On Beauty

Show up prepared

Girdle and all.

Otherwise, you’ll look like two pigs fighting under a blanket.

Take it or leave it, but at least they did their duty.

STEEL MAGNOLIAS Wedding

Credit: TriStar Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collection

Timing is of utmost importance.

A dirty mind is a terrible thing to waste."

Every quip uttered throughoutSteel Magnoliasis an example of how friends can bring out happiness, even in difficult times.

Sally Field and Julia Roberts in Steel Magnolias

Credit: J2 Communications/Fathom Events

But Shelby did it for her.

The ladies ofSteel Magnoliasare perhaps best at just this: making each other (and us!)

smile and laugh when its needed most.

Steel Magnolias

Credit:Getty Images/Aaron Rapoport/Contributor

Steel Magnolias

Getty Images/Ron Galella/Contributor.