Greetings from My Mountain Cabin,
Readers of my book, To Carlie–With Love–From Grandad, will remember my identifying a handful of individuals who have had a profound impact in my life. Each has made an impression on me that is beyond measure.
Without having crossed paths with the likes of Uncle Charlie Dabrowski, Mr. Warren S. Meniketti, Fr. Mychal F. Judge, Tony Lett, COL Walter L. Williams, Jonathan Jones, 1Lt John DiNapoli, Dr. Jerry Jampolsky and Dr. John Hanna, I would be less than I am today.
In a culture that confuses fame with inspiration, celebrities on the national scene are often idolized because they can put a basketball in a hoop more frequently than an opponent, wear outlandish costumes and scream lyrics to songs that pass as music, or broadcast messages of hate and prejudice on talk shows. For some, their only draw for extreme admiration is a pretty face and not much else (Forgive me if I am being judgmental, Ms. Hilton).
Perhaps we would be better served by identifying and honoring researchers who are tirelessly working in attempts to find cures for diseases and physical conditions that afflict humankind, valiant souls who have dedicated their lives to serving the less fortunate in soup kitchens and homeless shelters across the land, physicians and other healthcare providers who place a higher priority on healing than they do on gaining material wealth, and teachers who have responded to a calling to help mold the minds of young people despite being underpaid and putting up with horrific conditions in our nation's urban classrooms. All too often, they are unsung heroes.
New drum majors regularly appear in my life. Not all represent encounters from a distant past. In future blog messages, I will identify a few of them as my mood prompts me. Starting with . . . my friend, Douglas Wood.
Douglas Wood is a Renaissance man—wildland guide and educator, writer, poet, illustrator and troubadour for our times. An acclaimed concert performer, he can finger-pick a 12-string guitar with a style that seems effortless. One of the many things that connect Doug and me is a reference for the Earth.
Doug not only sings about the Earth, he sings for the Earth. In his song, "The Big Trees Are Down," Doug suggests the work of giants in the field of environmental conservation—John Muir, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, Sigurd Olsen, Henry David Thoreau—were Big Trees that "held the sky up" on our behalf because of their dedication to preserving our planet for generations to come. In his haunting refrain, he ponders, "Who will hold the sky up, now the Big Trees are down?"
The wind sends old trees crashing,
the bare sky greets the dawn.
I think of friends who’ve fought my fight,
they tumbled, now they’re gone.
Now who will love the land?
Who will help us understand?
Who will hold the sky up
now the Big Trees are down?
In a day and time where we are faced with unbridled corporate greed, dramatic climate change, the extinction of species, and unprecedented environmental disasters, the admonition is clear—WE must carry on the work of the Big Trees. WE will hold the sky up, now the Big Trees are down!
Doug lives with his wife, Kathy, in a delightful woodland home in Sartell, MN, at the headwaters of the Mississippi River. I invite you to visit his website at: http://www.douglaswood.com/
My drum major, Douglas Wood, knows of my admiration and affection for him. Who are your drum majors? You may want to consider telling them how important they are/have been in your life while you still can. Just do it! Your time together in this physical plane is not eternal.
Be well, do good work, keep in touch,
Ed
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