To Pahari Maa on Pete Seeger

[Guest guest]

Pahari Maa wrote:

 

When I knew nothing of Hinduism and was a young camp counselor in New

York, Pete Seeger, the folk singer, taught us that bhajan. I loved it

then and love it now.

 

 

 

Dear Pahari Maa ~ your stories never cease to amaze me. Pete Seeger teaching

a bhajan at a camp? Amazing! He's an incredible man in his own right in

terms of what he has done with his life. I have my own Pete Seeger story.

 

On the day when the ribbon project was implemented (thousands of muslin

squares with messages of peace drawn or stitched or painted, each with a fabric

"ribbon" at the top and bottom, all tied together, stretching around the

Pentagon and back to the reflecting pool in front of the Capitol), there was, of

course, music, and at some point, I heard someone on the stage say, "if anyone

has a song or a story they'd like to share, come on up." So I did, and I

shared a song I had written called "A Little Bit of Sunshine, A Little Bit of

Rain." I didn't even have my guitar because I hadn't planned on singing, so I

just sang it acapello.

 

After I walked down the back stairs to get off the stage, I saw this man

with an instrument case that was all covered with bumper stickers. He came up to

me and asked me if I had written the song. I said, "yes." Then he asked me if

I had ever had it published, and I said, "No." It was about that time I

realized that the person I was talking to was Pete Seeger, and it took all my

willpower not to just fall over on the spot. He grinned and said, well, send it

to me, and I'll get it in "Sing Out" magazine. Unfortunately, I didn't know

how to notate, and I had someone notate the song for me, but I knew enough

about music to know that the notation was wrong. So my song never got sent ...

one of those missed opportunities. But the encounter was worth a million

bucks. One of those "there are no accidents" thingies.

Hugs ~ Linda