The Mystic Artist: September 2009

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Peter, Paul, Missing Mary

I was a very small child when I first heard Peter, Paul & Mary... but their songs were always a big part of the soundtrack of my life. How could they not be? With the passing of Mary Travers today, I had to stop and remember how much I loved their songs... and remember the beauty of her voice, her gorgeous long blonde hair, those perfect harmonies... "Lemon Tree," "If I Had a Hammer," "Puff the Magic Dragon," "Blowin' in the Wind"... and such a wonderful lifetime of songs. RIP, Mary!

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Patrick Lives

I didn't know Patrick Swayze, but he seemed to be a rare bird in the Hollywood scene - a sweet man whose ego didn't get the best of him (he was supposedly quoted as saying, "Good-looking people turn me off. Myself included") who fought to the end with the desire to stay focused on his craft, even refusing pain killing drugs. His smiling eyes always reflected something indescribable and I believe he chose to LIVE to the end rather than to spend his last days dying. And, amazingly, he was married to the same woman since 1975!

He's quoted as saying, "I have a great deal of faith in faith; if you believe something strongly enough, it becomes true for you. I would like to believe that my father is right here with me in this room and that he's my guardian angel, that there's life after death - because if there isn't, why are we here?"

We all loved 'Dirty Dancing,' but his most memorable role was arguably the character he played in 'Ghost,' - Sam Wheat - a man probably not unlike himself - a good man who found true love in life and after death. In the words of Sam to Molly: 'It's amazing, Molly. The love inside, you take it with you.' He gave us a reason to believe in life after death. We love you, Patrick and you will be missed on earth!

"Ditto!"