Sometimes something happens that reminds me that life on earth is finite. Events occur that cause me to pause and ask if I have achieved the things in life that are important. Such moments of introspection can even cause me to examine the value of present pursuits.
Such an event happened in this past week. Mary Travers died. I'd never met her personally but twice in my life had seen her, with Peter and Paul, performing live.
I was 18 yo when a friend and I went to the Festival Hall in Brisbane Australia to see the hottest folk group in the western world. I taught myself to play the guitar so I could sing "Puff, the Magic Dragon", and "Blowin' in the Wind" and a favorite of mine - "Lemon Tree".
Last year I saw them again at a Synagogue here in Michigan. Mary was suffering from leukemia but the old fire over-rode that as she sang their great protest songs. Forty years between concerts for me - most of my life. An era passed with her death; my whole adult life thus far has been book-ended by Peter, Paul and Mary.
Their achievements are well known and their influence still rings in the ears of a congregation who, without being asked, sang "Puff" with me. We omitted the last verse: "Dragons live forever, but not so little boys . . . one grey day it happened, Jackie Paper came no more . . ."
Mary Travers will sing no more. One day I will sing no more. Have I sung all the songs that God wants me to sing? Are there still new melodies to be found, new lyrics to be uncovered, new memories to be created?
Only if I try a few new chords and struggle with new words does the song of life go on in me.
As Sammy Davis Jnr wrote in a song using strong, evangelical language:
"And the rhythm of life is a powerful beat,
Puts a tingle in your fingers and a tingle in your feet,
Rhythm in your bedroom, rhythm in the street,
Yes, the rhythm of life is a powerful beat."
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