In Defense of the Heart (Taking No Prisoners on behalf of those who wear Hearts on Sleeves)

[Land Shark]

Today is the 10th anniversary of John Denver's death. It's also near the 10 year anniversary of Princess Diana's death.

Anyone who has ever been touched by Princess Diana or John Denver should enjoy the following essay of only one thousand words. The author is an attorney who has put a lot of thought into why millions were so profoundly moved by Denver and Diana, and why these figures were nevertheless also ridiculed by so many during their lifetimes. The following "closing argument" answers those critics, gives a poignant tribute to their lives, and ends with holiday wishes you might remember.

Original Source: http://shorl.com/nupaprapebidu reprinted with permission of the author (me) with slight modifications to keep current and for clarity.

In Defense of the Heart: Princess Diana and John Denver
By Paul R. Lehto [e-mail]

"Defiant"

is not a word typically used to describe an admirer of people like John Denver and Princess Diana.

Although both John Denver and Princess Diana were popular with millions, both were also so viciously ridiculed that at times it took something like defiance to stick up for them.

Why all the "Pollyanna" attacks for wearing your heart on your sleeve, dreaming of a better way, or being openly compassionate?

Is it, as Charles Spencer so boldly put it at Diana's funeral, because goodness is disturbing to those at the opposite end of the moral spectrum? And if the critics are not evil, then why are there so many critics despite the fact that many millions of people find John Denver and Princess Diana to be profoundly and deeply moving figures?

Though it is tempting to ascribe evil to those who attack people honestly trying to do good, the truth is more subtle. Let me give an example.

Just imagine a group of people openly baby-talking or singing lullabies to an infant. If you love that baby, or if you are able to immerse yourself in the spirit of that moment, it feels so right to express affection for that baby in such a vulnerable and super-sweet way. It's almost irresistible!

On the other hand, if you are under stress, desperately needing to get work done, or are indifferent about that baby, you will find those very same loving sounds and lullabies to be extremely annoying.

All of us have turned mushy over an infant at least once and been annoyed at least once. Our different reactions at different times to that cherishing baby-loving spirit were just a function of our frame of mind. Similarly, our reactions to pure "spirits" like John Denver, Princess Diana and Mother Theresa are especially revealing of our attitudes and our culture.

Take John Denver's music as an example. At its best, he captured pure moments of transcendence in a sweet, loving way that could be universally understood, like the simple beauty of "Sunshine on my Shoulders" or the free spirit of a "Rocky Mountain High." For John Denver, the cherishing of nature and love was, like a little baby, irresistible! He certainly shared his enthusiasm and infectious happiness with the world in every way.

Like the example of a lullaby, those who were able to open their hearts to John Denver's music were profoundly moved by it, while those who were stressed out, desperately needing to get work done, didn't like nature, or were in a frame of mind not able to appreciate a ballad simply found John Denver annoying. Even real fans of Mr. Denver could drift in and out of an appreciation of his music depending on mood and situation.

Given the increasingly cynical situation of our culture as we headed into the 80s and 90s, it's not surprising that more and more was done to belittle Mr. Denver's "saccharine" lyrics and destroy Princess Diana's fairy tale. These critics loved to point out imperfections in order to suggest that the heights of goodness John sang about or that Diana worked for should somehow be ridiculed or ignored. A person annoyed at hearing a lullaby or a fairy tale will do almost anything to make it stop.

But the critics of the pure, vulnerable spirits of our age (our lullaby-singers) truly miss the point. They miss the point because even if our lullaby-singers seem hypocritical for not perfectly cherishing their babies, even if they are accused of exaggeration because the babies they sing about are not really the most beautiful in the whole world, and even if some people are annoyed to the depths of their soul with these enthusiastically "saccharine" expressions, at the end of the day we can still confidently say that it's RIGHT to open our hearts and sing a lullaby to whatever we care about. Though one becomes vulnerable by doing so, the closer one gets to the true heart, the more immune one becomes from any kind of REAL criticism. So long as it is heartfelt, it is simply bad taste and poor manners to criticize anyone who sings a lullaby, even if they are out of tune and even if they annoy every Scrooge in the world.

If the critics never had a moment in their lives where they were touched by Princess Diana's spirit, never could really let any "Country Roads" take them home to a special place in the heart, or never had a wilderness experience perfectly evoked by "Rocky Mountain High", then we simply feel sorry for the critics, just as one would feel sorry for someone unable to sing a lullaby. Like Scrooge, the critics honestly believe they are sternly defending the truths of a very serious and complicated world, but their irritation with Denver and Diana merely reveals their inability to feel joy in anything pure.

In sum, life is little but a collection of pure, powerful moments that occur when we are able to open our hearts. The rest we forget. It's possible to see your entire life flash before your eyes in a second of terror because all that's really left of your life is your moments.

With all the moments John Denver and Princess Diana both experienced and created for us, in the instant it took for Diana's Mercedes to crash in Paris, or in the instant it took for John's plane to crash into Monterey Bay, I truly doubt that their lives were finished flashing before their eyes.

Those of us who admire people who cherish and try to do good will carry on with the messages of John Denver and Princess Diana. Those millions of us who were lucky enough to appreciate the gifts of spirit they offered will always remember the joy we felt when our own inner Scrooge was quieted.

At least every holiday season invites us to quiet the Scrooge, open our hearts and sing lullabies for whatever we love. Only in experiences as pure and as vulnerable as lullabies and fairy tales do we ever have moments in which we truly live.

Thank you for that gift, John and Diana. Truly understood, it's invincible.

(c) 1997 by Paul R. Lehto, 12/8/97

Paul Lehto, Juris Doctor
[e-mail]

If you would like a quality paper copy of the above essay, please contact me to arrange a mailing address and donation to cover postage. Thank you.

[BootinUp]

1. Nice read...

and well stated.

[Land Shark]

2. Thank you Jim4Wes, I tried to articulate a principle of GENERAL applicability ...

In defense of whatever one truly believes in their heart, and also in defense of freedom, at a point in time when it especially matters....

[WillyT]

3. And... As Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) Put It...

Outside The Wall
(Roger Waters)

All alone, or in twos,
The ones who really love you
Walk up and down outside the wall.
Some hand in hand
And some gathered together in bands.
The bleeding hearts and artists
Make their stand.
And when they've given you their all
Some stagger and fall, after all it's not easy
Banging your heart against some mad bugger's wall.

[Land Shark]

6. Nice quote, thank you Willy T! nt

[AtLiberty]

4. K & R

Thank you!!!

[kpete]

5. proud to be

the 5th recommend.

I am a firm believer in lullabies and fairy tales.

If you believe deeply enough, they sometimes come true...

"life is little but a collection of pure, powerful moments that occur when we are able to open our hearts."

thanks Land Shark, kp

[bleever]

7. Beautifully said.

John Denver once said that when he left home to make it in the music business, NOBODY around him thought he was going to make it.

He believed in what he did, and kept doing it, and ended up connecting with millions of people. It's a great lesson.

Nicely done.

[robinlynne]

8. How beautiful. and how true. Sometimes I forget those moments. Thank-you so very much

for reminding me. Just the reminder is enough to bring today into that sort of awareness.
Thanks for this moment.

[Land Shark]

9. It's really my pleasure & privilege to hear that. You're most entitled (not "welcome") to feel

[Kurovski]

10. K&R.

If Denver had written and performed only one song, Annie's Song, that would have been enough for me to remember him.

Our culture, (especially in the recent past) and how a male is to behave also plays a part in blocking--or even keeping--some from that area of experience.

[midnight]

11. Two very special people who shared themselves with

a care-freeness that comes from an open heart. Good to hear from you landshark....

[OzarkDem]

12. A great essay about those who wanted only to do good

It was only after reading John Denver's autobiography a few years ago that I realized how truly committed and how hard he worked for good causes. He did more than just lend his name to them, he was an activist and visionary for peace, protecting the environment,ending hunger and bringing people together across the world. He was a principled liberal who got the message out even before he became famous, from his days with the Chad Mitchell Trio. They were incredibly popular in "underground" Washington DC, lampooning the likes of Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew.

His messages were in his music, in how he used it to bring many different people together for a common cause - peace and understanding of each other. And he went a step further in putting a lot of is own money into supporting liberal causes, more than most artists today would do. Looking back, you would have a hard time finding many artists today who put it his fame and reputation on the line in such a public way to end the war and support environmental causes. Springsteen, the Dixie Chicks and others have only begun to follow in his footsteps. He was out there before anyone and he really believed it. His Windstar Foundation is still active

Windstar Foundation

http://www.wstar.org/

[helderheid]

13. Thank you for this

:hug:

[althecat]

14. KnR....

And here is me just thinking they were both wet blankets. :)

[Land Shark]

17. Msg is that most would experience them that way at least momentarily

but that doesn't take anything away from the truth and beauty of what they did. thanks for the knr althecat, and for all the work that you do, even if protected to some extent by a very rugged and strong exterior! ;)

[lildreamer316]

15. KICK. Thank you, so much.

I get tired of being "too sensitive" and "too nice". I get tired of the expectation that I am too naieve and my expectations are too high.
I love, and I love. It is not a crime...

I hope you understand what I mean.

[Land Shark]

16. Yeah, I definitely can understand that.

Don't forget to consider all the emotional riches you have and experience, and many people protect themselves from, one way or another.... You are taking care! ---LS

[lonestarnot]

18. Thank you. Made for a nice Sunday morning read.

Spirit of PD and JS live with kindred spirits such as yours and mine. :hug:

[Rhythm]

19. Thank you, Land Shark!

Thank goodness for the innocence of the heart, and those willing to express it.

[Land Shark]

21. "Thinkblue" is a great name, thanks Thinkblue. nt

[bleever]

20. Another kick

for the Sunday crowd.

[earth mom]

22. Sorry to be too late to recommend!

:applause:

[emmadoggy]

23. Lovely post. Thank you.

They were both wonderful, giving human beings.

O8)