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HEART TO HEART
It was no surprise when the songs of John Denver rose to popular acclaim and commercial success in the early 1970s. America was reeling from a turbulent and revolutionary decade, and this fresh-faced singer with the warm voice and sincere, positive lyrics was just what we wanted to listen to.
We are at another frazzled and uncertain time in America now. This week, as we find ourselves confused about our government and our future, we also commemorate the 16th anniversary of John Denver's death. Some of us will be turning off the news for a while and finding solace listening to "Poems, Prayers, and Promises" and "Sunshine on My Shoulders".
But John Denver didn't just fly around the world to sing sweet songs to us. John went head-first into big issues in life: he stood up for hunger, the environment, nuclear non-proliferation, space exploration. Despite his celebrity, he would stop to help a stranded motorist, pick up some litter, sing for children in total spontaneity, and advocate compassion with each breath.
John traveled to the hungry areas of the world to fight world hunger. He met persistently with congressional leaders to help enact legislation, including the Alaska Wildlands Bill. John was influential in getting the first citizens into space. He spoke up for dolphins, whales and the oceans with his friend Jacques Cousteau. He stood, literally stood, with New Zealand's Maori tribes people to successfully protest the use of their sacred land for a housing development.
John's beauty was his compassion. He had heart. I felt this heart, this go-for-it attitude all the time when I was around him, but most of all when we went skiing together. He would show up in bright yellow snow pants that looked like a fire-station handout, a multi-colored parka and a neon hat. (This was a good thing, because even when it was no longer trendy, it made him easy to spot.) Just as you would never want to bike down a mountain with an 18-wheeler barreling down behind you, you never wanted to ski ahead of John. His speed exceeded his ability level, and when he crashed, he could block out the sun. But he would inevitably rise from the cloud of snow, side-step uphill to retrieve his hat and goggles, then flash the thumbs-up before skiing off again.
We need to find our hearts these days, our compassion. We need to find our center in these troubled times, to stand up and live a thumbs-up mindset. Maybe we need to listen to a little more music.
So you speak to me of sadness and the coming of the winter,
The fear that is within you now that seems to never end,
And the dreams that have escaped you and the hope that you've forgotten,
And you tell me that you need me now and you want to be my friend,
And you wonder where we're going, where's the rhyme and where's the reason,
And it's you cannot accept: it is here we must begin
To seek the wisdom of the children
And the graceful way of flowers in the wind.
John Denver, "Rhymes and Reasons"
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