When first reading this title, many of you will probably think, “Of course he does.” Or, if you are a little older you may bristle and find yourself mentally defending John Denver. He was kind of a big deal in the 70’s.
I can hear Rocky Mountain High playing in my head as I type this. Whenever I think of John Denver I think of the trips my family took home from our mountain cabin on Sunday’s. We would go to the cabin all together when I was younger. It was great, the whole family together, I loved being around my sisters and brother when I was little. And then we’d pack up and head back to Wilhelmina Street. Back to everyone going about their own lives, everyone doing different things. The fun of the family vacation a distant memory until we went again.
If I hear a John Denver song now I instantly feel sad. Our family trips stopped happening as I got older. My sisters wanted to do their own thing, and it wasn’t cool or fun for my brother. Dad was always working too hard and eventually it didn’t seem important that we were all together.
The other night I woke up from a dream about John Denver, and those trips home from the mountains. I was instantly back in the car, on the freeway with my family surrounding me. Even though I don’t have fond memories of his music, 30 years later it still transports me to that moment in time.