Written in 1944 for Martha Graham’s ballet of the same name, Aaron Copland’s “Appalachian Spring” is one of my all-time favorite tunes. If you’ve seen a movie in the past twenty years, you probably like it, too, although the name and history may be new to you.
What I love about this song is more than its beautiful melody or its epic, swelling crescendo. I love the feeling of peace and optimism — of dawning hope — that it inspires, but I also love the LYRICS.
Copland’s tune is based on a Shaker hymn, “Simple Gifts,” that transcends region and even religion, in my opinion. Read the lyrics below, update the old-time language, and see if you don’t begin to see why the song these words inspired is so beloved:
‘Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free
‘Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,
And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
‘Twill be in the valley of love and delight.When true simplicity is gain’d,
To bow and to bend we shan’t be asham’d,
To turn, turn will be our delight,
Till by turning, turning we come ’round right.
It’s easy to get caught up in what you DON’T have today. With the constant stream of media, technology, and advertising that bombards us (how many iProducts do we NEED, after all?), we all-too-readily find ourselves in an unfulfilling cycle of spending and discarding, all in pursuit of the Next Big Thing.
But what about the simple gifts? What about the things that, like this song, will outlive fads, remixes, updates, and add-ons because of their uncomplicated goodness and truth?
Consider the sound of birds chirping, squawking, or cackling outside. Consider your ability to hear them, if you can. Consider the sun on your face, or even the icy wind, and consider your education and ability to read or listen to this blog post, this song, and everything else you’ve experienced so far today. Consider the privilege of waking up free and where you ought to be — or free enough to make the changes needed to get yourself there. Aren’t these simple, nearly-invisible gifts worth counting — or trying to count, for they’re innumerable — each day?
Life, my friends, is good. We just have to turn, turn from all the distractions and open our minds to the beautiful gifts surrounding us.
SHE HAPPENS 