How I Met Pete Seeger – Part 2

Post no. 7

THE DAY WE MET & FOUNDERS DISEASE!

It may be surprising to some, but I didn’t know much about Pete before we met.  So I had no expectations.  I didn’t know what to say.  And I certainly wasn’t going to tell him I was a fan of his music - because I didn’t know much about it.  But the instant I met him, I was drawn to him - not because he was famous, or a great musician, but because of what I saw when I looked into his eyes.

Pete had been sending me postcards for a few months after he heard my song “Vote!” (see post no. 5). Most of what he wrote was encouragement to use the song in a constructive way.  Can you imagine that?  Pete, an established famous musician, made a habit of reaching back to hundreds of younger folks and giving them a hand up.

One day I got a postcard that went one step further.  Pete invited me to perform at the Pumpkin Festival, in his hometown of Beacon, New York.

When I arrived at the festival, still not knowing what Pete looked like, I asked somebody to point him out.  He was standing only a few feet away, alone, leaning on a car.  As I approached him, I extended my hand and said, “Hi, I’m Spook Handy.”  I expected Pete to extend his hand and say “hi” back to me.  Then we would shake hands and officially begin a professional relationship.  But that’s not what happened. 

Pete was Not a Fan of Shaking Hands

Pete put both of his hands in his pockets.  He stooped down about two inches to my height and looked me squarely in the eyes.  His eyes were dazzling bright blue with a fierceness of determination, a wealth of wisdom, an ocean full of compassion, and an inquisitiveness I have rarely seen in anybody else.  Immediately, I recognized Pete’s intelligence, determination, and humanity. 

But Pete was not just looking into my eyes; he was looking behind them to surmise what kind of person I was.  His silent gaze lasted all of five seconds before he asked a question that launched one of the most exciting journeys of my life:

“Do you know what Founders Disease is?”

I was familiar with the term.  But I said, “You tell me, Pete.”  I wanted to hear what he had to say about it.  Pete said, “Founders Disease is when the same people who founded an organization thirty years ago are still running it today.”  There was another five seconds of silence that seemed to last an eternity.  I waited for him to continue.  But, with that said, Pete turned and walked away.  And that was the entirety of our first conversation!

I stood there in shock, absolutely sure the Universe had conspired to bring us to this exact moment for a reason.  I remember that Albert Einstein said that sometimes the greatest discovery we can make is the right question.  Well, I was sure I had just been given “the right question.”  But what on Earth did it mean?  Why was Pete the guy who delivered it?  And what in the world was I supposed to do about it?   

Accepting the Challenge

I was also sure of something else.  Have you ever experienced times when you were completely aware that you stood at a major turning point in your life?  Well, this was one of those times. 

You see, when Pete looked into my eyes, I looked into his.  And I saw the Universe.  Now, I didn’t actually see stars and galaxies and space stuff.  But do you know that feeling when time and space stand still?  When you know that every concern you have about paying your rent, fixing your car, receiving an award, or winning an argument – all of it – is just a sideshow?  When you know that you are here on this planet in this life for something bigger?

I’m not sure many of us can say in non-lofty words precisely what our purpose is.  But we do occasionally get clues along the way.  For me, this was one of those clues.  It was a big clue. A major clue. And I knew exactly how to handle it.  I accepted Pete’s words as a challenge from the Universe.  How many times have we asked, “What’s the next step?”  I knew this was an answer to that question.

A Turn in the Road

I made a decision that moment to learn everything I could about Founders Disease and how we can conquer it.  I had no idea that Pete and I would form a friendship, but I knew he would be my guide.  I didn’t have to ask.  I just needed the desire to learn. 

A Scatterer of Seeds

One thing I learned from Pete is that it’s not a good idea to try to make people see things a certain way or to try to change people’s minds. 

Pete broadcasted seeds of wisdom through his songs, stories, and personal example.  This includes how to conquer Founders Disease.  He had no way of knowing which seeds would land on fertile ground, which would whither in the sun, or which would thrive. 

What was it Like?

Later that day, Pete invited me on stage during his feature set and asked me to sing my song “Vote!” To my surprise, he stayed, played banjo, and sang the song with me. You would think that was a super moment to be forever cherished. And it certainly was. But when people back home asked me what it was like meeting Pete Seeger, I surprised even myself with my answer.

Without hesitation, I said, “I saw the Universe in his eyes.” That was awkward! I didn’t know where those words came from and I lowered my head in embarrassment. Nobody else knew what to make of that answer, either. Finally, someone asked, “And this means ….?” I looked up and said, “I don’t know yet. But I’m going to find out.!”