I had a profound awareness the other morning as I sat in a chair next to an Easterly window. The sun rose without morning cloudiness to obscure or dilute its light. I was reading a book while the early morning light bathed my shoulders with its warmth through double glazed windows.
I paused in my reading and thought of my old friend, singer, entertainer, actor, activist and environmentalist John Denver and his song, “Sunshine On My Shoulders.”
I replayed in my mind his many gifts to the world.
John was a poet, a singer of songs, a friend to many, an idol of millions the world over. He died in a plane crash in October 1997. We continue to honor our friend with personal memories of his laughter and his profound intellect.
We remember his public gifts of song and self, his harmonies of love and nature, his vision for a sustainable future and all of the joys of life he shared through an extraordinary ability to entertain. His songs would take us to places where troubles couldn't reach, at least for a while. His lyrics encouraged us to seek a higher ground, a metaphor for a better way. His hugs were special for they were given without condition and his smile personified his spirit and his love of life and humankind.
I think now we celebrate his life without the salt of sadness, and that's right, but we still miss him. We all come into this world, make choices, make sacrifices, laugh a little, love a little, cry a little and learn through experience that the real importance of life is to share our gifts, to be true to ourselves and to make the world a bit better place to live.
I hope I have more sunshine on my shoulders soon. I like the memories it engenders.
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I feel more than a tinge of sadness when I hear John Denver's beautiful music - Karen Carpenter too. They left us way too early. Rolland, you and John were two peas in a pod - renaissance men.
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