When I was in the 6th grade, Tamara D. taught me about sex and John Denver. Not sex with John Denver, mind you, the two were always discussed separately. Tamara was very matter of fact about the birds and bees, educated on the subject by her older sister. She casually threw around sexual terms both foreign and frightening to this 12-year-old.
John Denver, however, was a different matter altogether. His name was revered. His Greatest Hits album was on constant repeat, circling Tamara's tiny turntable for hours each day. Though 6th grade came with challenges (new school, new town, my parents' divorce still fresh), John's music brought me a sense of peace.
Why is John on my mind today, you ask? Well, I haven't been on the blog in a while and I'm not sure what to do about it. It seems that all of my writer-friends are setting up camp over on Substack. Many of you probably haven't heard of this new(ish) platform yet, but it has definitely gained in popularity over recent years.
I created a Substack account a while ago (necessary to read people's posts) but I hadn't posted anything myself until yesterday. So, my loyal readers, I am inviting you to follow me there (hence the John Denver memories) so that we can explore together what Substack has to offer.
"Follow Me where I go
what I do and who I know
make it part of you to be a part of me."
"Follow me up and down
all the way and all around
take my hand and say you'll follow me." (lyrics by John Denver, "Follow Me," 1973)
I'm still trying to figure things out over there, but I think you can find me by following this link: https://substack.com/home/post/p-149976802 and then just click on the Subscribe button at the bottom of my post (it's free!).
Thank you for supporting my writing. It really means the world to me!
xoxo Bets
John Denver's music can still give me soul-chills. And don't overlook what a fine actor he was.