Who and What I Love and Why

I love my husband. I love the outdoors. I love Alaska. I love good music with meaningful lyrics. I love John Denver. I love horses. I love eagles. I love babies. I love chocolate. I love champagne.

Now, you can imagine how difficult it would be to combine all of my loves into one wonder-filled evening, but last night I did the best I could. I settled down with my honey and watched my John Denver Wildlife Concert DVD (filmed around 1995). John opened with his song, "Eagles and Horses," and the deal was sealed -- even without champagne, chocolate or babies on hand.

He stole my heart along with millions of other hearts, back in the day, and no one has ever or will ever take his place. That's because in my life it's not an empty place he left behind, it's a place still filled with his love for life and my love for him -- as a unique and genuinely talented artist.

I saw him perform at Lake Tahoe in the seventies, then again at the Cow Palace. His feet barely touched the floor of the stage, he was so high on life; and I'm sure everyone in the audience felt he was singing just for them. The third performance I went to was in Sacramento, after he and Annie had split up. The bounce was gone from his step and the sparkle gone from his eye, but he was still JOHN DENVER -- 100% human but larger than life, and through his music totally open about his heartaches as well as his passion for nature and all living things.

I find it interesting how, over time, it all comes together. Your life, I mean. I've been to Alaska twice (one of John's favorite places), and I'm excited about going again in just a few weeks. But sooner than that my husband and I are going to an event at Micke Grove zoo where Randy Sparks (who is a legend in his own right and who helped make John a star) will be performing, with all proceeds going to feed the animals and preserve the zoo for future generations. One of the singers accompanying Randy will be Jennifer Lind, whom I'm fortunate to know personally, and whose voice should have been listed here in my opening paragraph. I love Jennifer's voice.

In his Wilderness Concert as John narrated, he talked about the pollution of our rivers and said, choking up a little, that he dearly wanted to someday be able to take his grandchildren fishing. Obviously, and sadly, that isn't going to happen. But because of his love of mountains, forests, animals, birds, sea life, the ocean and rivers and streams, his music brought the magic of nature to millions who could not travel as extensively as he.

Interesting too that, in spite of his wealth and fame and determination, he was denied another of his most fervent dreams -- to travel to the moon. I look skyward at night every now and then and think of him, recalling his lyrics, "dance across the mountains of the moon." I imagine him dancing there at last, and of course singing his songs, many of which feel as though they were written just for me.

Thanks again, John.