<*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> <*> "WHY THE WORLD STILL NEEDS JOHN DENVER" Aspen Times - October 10, 2002 by J. P. McDaniel This week multitudes of folks from all over the world will gather in Aspen to celebrate and remember a man who touched millions with a message that keeps escalating in value. John Denver was, and continues to be, more than just a grinning, granny-goggled troubadour singing touchy-feely tunes. He is the icon of a philosophy that birthed today's concerns for the sustainability of humankind and life on this planet. He represents an ecological presence, or psychospiritual ecological identity, in a world that is dangerously hostile toward nature and toward each other. Psychospiritual ecological identity is a phrase almost as big as John's toothy grin, but it simply means that folks can relate in a very personal way to John's music and lyrics and the causes he championed. Even people who never visited the places John sang about can visualize them and feel a connection, which sometimes inspires them to ecological or humanitarian actions. This connection provides hope and answers in a shaky world and is what keeps John's music and message alive today. Several decades ago John helped midwife the environmental movement with his songs of sunshine and wheat fields, of eagles and wild horses, mountain highs and ocean depths, of wind and wildflowers and wolves, and even baby rabbits. He also sang and spoke about a sustainable and healthy world community and respecting our differences in a peaceful way. On the surface, his songs seem simple, yet repeated listening brings out deeper meaning on a more personal, sometimes spiritual, level. Even staunch critics, after poking fun at his human-Muppet characteristics, admit that John touches something deep inside them that evokes kindness toward others and appreciation for the natural world. This is psychospiritual ecological identity. John's message possesses a quality that is not only expressive about the world around him, but is becoming increasingly important for our continued survival. As our globe heats up from misuse of fossil fuels, as vast forests fall to bulldozers, as species disappear at a catastrophic rate, and as we face each other with clenched fists and itchy trigger fingers, we need the psychospiritual ecological message of John Denver more than ever. People today fear the future and are hungry for answers, much as they were in the 1970's when John's music was very popular. Ironically, we are again struggling with some of the critical issues of a generation ago, such as resource shortages, war, family violence, and environmental desecration. John's music in the 1970's and his personal actions of the 1980's provided a reflective escape and answers for many people, and they still can today. The timeless message from John Denver, whether through his music or the organizations with which he aligned is: * Hope - we ARE the solution to the problems we have created and wish to overcome and each individual must make responsible choices. * Nonseparation - we are all in this together and there is more common ground than differences between people. * The Earth is our only home - we are passengers on "Spaceship Earth" and disrespect to the natural environment is disrespect for ourselves. * Love - experience life at its fullest with all your senses and see the beauty around you, within you and in each other. The multitudes of people celebrating and remembering John Denver this week, whether in Aspen or in their own corner of the world, carry forth the torch for his increasingly important psychospiritual ecological message. Five years ago, we may have lost the man who sang the songs, but we did not lose his message of hope, peace, and sustainability. ____________________________________________________________ Jequita Potts (J.P.) McDaniel lives in Littleton, Colorado. She teaches psychology, sociology, and communication at a Denver college and is completing a Ph.D. in ecopsychology, with a portion of her dissertation on the psychospiritual ecological identity effect of John Denver.