Simple Gifts

I rode a bike for the first time in a long time through Prospect Park today. Fatboy almost forgot how to shift gears. While the gentry is away in the Hamptons or Fire Island or the Berkshires, the simple folk enjoy the park. I brought along my camera to capture and celebrate* them. At first I thought I would use "What Do The Simple Folk Do" as a soundtrack, but "Simple Gifts" worked a whole lot better. I fondly remember the theme when it was used on the old CBS Reports in the early 60's. My father enjoyed the show a great deal. That's when he had a shred of liberalism left. That's when CBS was a real news' station. The beautiful lyrics:
'Tis the gift to be simple,
'tis the gift to be free,
'tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
It will be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
'Til by turning, turning we come round right
Tis the gift to be loved and that love to return,
'Tis the gift to be taught and a richer gift to learn,
And when we expect of o-thers what we try to live each day,
Then we'll all live together and we'll all learn to say,
'Tis the gift to have friends and a true friend to be,
'Tis the gift to think of others not to only think of "me",
And when we hear what others really think and really feel,
Then we'll all live together with a love that is real.
Here's the slide show with the beautiful Judy Collins version
*celebrate-definitely a pseudo word in the calkins' lexicon