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Recently, I rewatched the HBO documentary Elvis Presley: The Searcher.
The more than three-and-half hour miniseries looks at the life and career of the affectionately-labeled “King of Rock and Roll”.
In the film, his story is bookended and told within the context of his 1968 “comeback special” that aired in December of that year.
At the conclusion of that special, Mr. Presley sings an emotional version of the song “If I Can Dream.”The lyrics, written in the summer of 1968, reflect upon the turmoil of the year, especially the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Elvis’ performance of that song, along with the creation story read by the astronauts during the Apollo 8 mission later in December, provided a peaceful and hopeful conclusion to that infamous year.
To the surprise of no one, I was not around in 1968. All I know about that year is what I “read in the history books”.
Common wisdom, as early as 10 years later when documentary retrospectives about the year were already being produced, is that it was a year of division, violence, chaos, uncertainty, and fear.
Living in 2020, I don’t think it’s a stretch to attach the words “division,” “violence,” “chaos,” “uncertainty,” and “fear” to these past several months.
(Anyone who’d like to comment on how 1968 “really was” in comparison to this year is free to write to me.)
Now, I’m not saying Elvis or astronaut Frank Borman are solely or primarily responsible for the world moving on and healing following December 31, 1968, and a new year approaching upon them, but these examples do allow us to strive to hope and communicate that hope.
We can also look at the good examples of moving on following 1968 and how we can do even better this time, once 2021 is upon us.
Starting with a dream
Some of the lyrics to “If I Can Dream” can certainly be applied to today.
Among the samples are “There must be peace and understanding sometime,” “We’re trapped in a world that’s troubled with pain,” “But as long as a man has the strength to dream, he can redeem his soul and fly,” and the climactic “And while I can think, while I can talk, while I can stand, while I can walk, while I can dream, please let my dream come true, right now.”
If you’re looking outside your window (or at the screen of your electronic device), and you want a better world for yourself and those you love (or take it next level and want a better world for those you hate too!), it can start with you, it can start with a dream — your dream.
It’s only October and many of us are very exhausted from all this year has brought us.
I see many postings on social media that are begging for 2021 to get here as soon as possible, with a hope that we can blame everything on this year and anything that’s not 2020 has to be better.
If we’re going to use 1968 as our example, I do know that 1969 wasn’t all as sweet as “Sugar, Sugar” or as lovely as “Crimson and Clover”.
For every Apollo 11 moon landing and the debut of Sesame Street, there were Chappaquiddick and Charles Manson.
Yet, the dream continued and everyone continued to move on and heal.
If I can dream
There is hope for 2021.
The election will be over, and we’ll have no choice but to move on, whatever the outcome is.
No matter who is putting their hand on the Bible on January 20 of 2021, we can’t stop making this country better for everyone and impressing upon our leaders to do what’s right.
We pray and hope that there will be advances in lessening the effects of the SARS-CoV-2, or the “coronavirus”. We pray and hope that said virus doesn’t have to be a cause of division anymore.
We pray and hope that we see the right balance of law and order and handling of racial issues in this country. We pray and hope that people on all sides agree that things cannot continue on as they have been.
We pray and hope that we all come to a deeper understanding of the meaning of “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” and how that really looks for everyone.
And, we pray and hope for a strengthened Church, focused on Christ and spreading his message of real love and mercy to everyone. We pray and hope for knowledge of truth and that our actions reflect a real knowing, loving, and serving the Lord.
To put it lightly, a lot of things aren’t very ideal now. But they can be better.
With God’s help and graces and the love of all of us humans being, we can make a lot of our best dreams come true.
Who knew an Elvis performance could still have such a ringing effect all of these years later.
As the fellow sang about his dream — “let it come true right now”.