Simple Things

NPR describes its popular series, This I Believe, as "an international project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values that guide their daily lives." When it comes to core values and beliefs, people often focus on the simplest things.

Singing: The Key To A Long Life (11/23/08) - British composer and activist Brian Eno talks about the joy of singing, a subject taken up as well by Eunice ("Make a Joyful Noise") and Paige ("Singing, My Anti-Drug"), both in written form only. More pieces on singing here.

Dancing All the Dances As Long As I Can - Best-selling author Robert Fulgrum expounds on his joy of dancing, a subject found in the written pieces, Dancing Is Dreaming with My Feet. More dancing pieces here.

Walking Across the Grand Canyon (6/13/2008) - Radio producer Scott Carrier describes a walk in the desert with his son. From the This I Believe series comes two written pieces, I Believe in Walking and I Believe in Hiking.

Musings

• Which of this pieces (or which two) do you find most effective and why?
  
  
• Describe your own experience with singing, dancing, hiking, or some other simple activity (gardening, hunting)--that is, one that generally does not require electricity.
  
  
• Why do you think so many of the essays in the This I Believe series focus on simple things? Here's an essay on the power of simple gifts. To get you into the mood, you might enjoy this slightly jazzed-up version of the classic Shaker hymn, Simple Gifts (on YouTube)--also the basis of the John Williams piece performed at last week's inauguration. Here are the original lyrics, written in 1848:

'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,
'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.