The first song that Joni sings in the video Celebration at Big Sur is, of all things, "Get Together" the Youngbloods song, written by Jesse Collin Young or something like that; will someone correct me? this a close paraphrase as I play Joni's version off the tape with the words she sings as opposed to the textus receptus as I know it. (I made the chorus more inclusive, but I did that at confirmation camp back in the 1980s, so nothing new, actually, I have no brother, so I needed a way to sing it that was real for me) Love is but a song we sing, fear's the way we die you can make the mountain rings, or make the angels cry know the bird is on the wing, although we don't know why if you hear the song I sing, then you will understand you hold the key to love and hate, in your tremebling hand one key unlocks them both, you know, that key's at your command Some may come and some may go*, we shall surely pass when the one who left us here returns for us at last, we are but a moment's sunshine, fading on the grass, Come on people now, smile on each other, everybody get together, try and love one another right now. *it actually sounds as if she is singing "soldiers dying and _____ and all, we shall surely pass" but I can't extract the exact words, so I show the standard text. In short: we hold the keys, it is for us to choose our reactions. Nobody wrote something that ***made*** me upset; I chose to get upset. I could have chosen to ignore, to laugh, to say how silly, but I chose to be upset. I may have good reasons or valid life experiuence to choose the option of being upset in this situation, and I claim and own that. So I step back for a time that I need that is important to me; I do not leave this community that loves and cares and gives to each other even though I am upset, because as I step back, I can own my anger and also own my membership with precious and dear people. They are not all equally precious and dear, but as a community, there is none finer, and I need this community for how it defines a part of my life, for what it has given, and because I will hurt myself or others by leaving these people dear to me. I hold the key. At this time, I have chosen to retreat for a bit, but not leave. I await the time that is good for me to fully re-enter, Understand that my standing off to the side is my way of working through the things that I need to work on, which may be,getting back in touch with how wonderful you are all despite our not being perfect, how wonderful *we* all are when we smile on each other, love one another. (the Rev) Vince now shutting up for good
