BOOK REVIEW

By Wendy DeMos

Footsteps to change: When John Francis decided to help the environment, he went to extremes -- no car for more than two decades, no talking for 17 years

Published in The Ottawa Citizen
Sunday, February 11, 2007

Think you'd have trouble giving up your car? Try giving up any motorized transportation for 22 years, not speaking for 17 years while walking across the U.S., sailing through the Caribbean and walking across South America.

Throw in getting a PhD in land resources along the way and being appointed the United Nations Environment Program's Goodwill Ambassador among other adventures.

That's the story of John Francis in his book Planetwalker - How to change your world one step at a time.

It started in 1971, when Francis witnessed the devastating effects of a major oil spill in San Francisco Bay.

"This was the first time I had ever been exposed to an environmental insult of such magnitude. I couldn't get away from it. I decided I wanted to do something, but I didn't know exactly what. I mentioned to a friend that I wanted to stop riding in cars, and she laughed at me and I laughed at myself and that was the end of it."

It wasn't until a neighbour and friend died the next year, says Francis, that he made the decision to stop using motorized transportation.

"He had a good job, a wonderful wife, lovely kids, he just had everything. And then he was gone. So I realized there weren't any promises. If I was going to do anything, I had better do it now. Because now is the only time we have to do what we need to do."

Then, a few months later, as a birthday present to himself, he decided to not speak for a day. That day turned into 17 years of silence.

"Most of my life," Francis says in his book, "I have not been listening fully. I only listened long enough to determine whether the speaker's ideas matched my own. If they didn't, I would stop listening, and my mind would race ahead to compose an argument against what I believed the speaker's idea or position to be."

It is no surprise that a man, who saw and listened so much, has a lot to share.

Planetwalker is an inspirational story of a young man's decision to make a difference and how this difference affects his life and the lives of the many people he meets.

Through his silence and walking, he learns to listen, and his pilgrimage on behalf of the environment and world peace begins.

"It's an interior journey," he says, "that is also a walk across North and South America."

This interior journey caught the eye of Tom Shadyac, director of such movies as Patch Adams, The Nutty Professor, Evan Almighty and Liar, Liar, who recently purchased the rights to make a film about Francis's book.

If the movie is made, John Francis says he hopes viewers will learn that they "can effect change in the world."

Where is Francis now? He's taking part in a 3,200-km Alaskan and Yukon canoe journey in an attempt to unite First Peoples' tribes.

"I think that if I have learned anything, it is that everyone can make a difference and each person has their own journey within them."

To order the book, contact Books International 1-800-856-8664.

Wendy DeMos is a freelance writer specializing in stories on artists as well as life's creative and spiritual dimensions. She is also a singer/songwriter and award-winning children's performer.

PLANETWALKER
By John Francis
Elephant Mountain Press
Point Reyes Station, Calif. 94956
$24.95

Chantsisters Singing Circles

CD Review by Wendy DeMos

I like it. I really really like it.

And I'm not usually a big fan of the a capella tradition.

But the recently released CD Chantsisters Singing Circles offers enough variety and strong grooves that I was captivated throughout the 17 songs with nary a hint of piano or guitar supporting the voices.

It's no surprise this CD impresses. In the world of circle singers, this collection offers some of the best from across the country: Becky Reardon (New Mexico), Terry Garthwaite (California), Kate Munger (California),Joanne Hammil (Massachusetts), Velma Frye (Florida), Sue Ribaudo (New York) and Leslie Zak (Ohio).

Terry Garthwaite may be remembered from Joy of Cooking -- Berkeley, California's first women-fronted rock and roll band in the 1960s.

And Kate Munger is the leader of more than a dozen Threshold Choirs, which are choirs that sing at the bedsides of people struggling, some with living, some with dying.

These pros bring simplicity, wisdom and a genteel grace to each song on the CD.

For some songs, the hook is the tight rhythm and for others it is the depth of the lyrics such as Velma Frye's "I will believe the truth about myself no matter how beautiful it is."

And though the CD is of the inspirational genre, it doesn't venture too heavily on the preachy side like many so-called spiritual CDs.

Becky Reardon's "Dancing to the Dark", for example, is a delightful romp that tells of a midnight dancing excursion through the woods and Terry Garthwaite's "Surrounded By the Light" is a sweet and fun, toe-tapping ditty.

Contrast to Kate Munger's "If You Knew". Though this song carries a somber tone, the depth and beauty of the repetitive lyric touches the heart and offers hope to anyone facing the many fears our complicated lives can present.

"If you knew who walks beside you, fear would be impossible."

Similarly, the repeating lyric in Velma Frye's "Mystery of the Divine" offers depth and hope.

"I am open in the present moment to the mystery of the divine."

Though these and a few other songs offer a contemplative quality, the songs are kept short and snappy making them easy to hear without appearing overly ponderous.

However, the final song pushed my limits for a capella tolerance. It's "Wolf Song" by Leslie Zak, a so-called song that is indeed true to its title: two minutes of human sounding wolf calls.

Okay, now I miss a piano or guitar.

Though, as a reminder of our connection with nature, "Wolf Song" does seem an appropriate ending. I would appreciate it more, however, if it were shorter and simply faded into the distance. A profound goodbye to the listener.

Canine a capella aside, Chantsisters Singing Circles is a sweet smattering of circle songs sure to touch your heart or have you singing and tapping along.

Copies are $18 and can be purchased from Kate Munger at kate@thresholdchoir.org


(Wendy DeMos is a singer/songwriter and freelance writer specializing in stories and songs about life's creative and spiritual dimensions. http://www.wendydemos.com/)

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What wisdom

can you

find

that is

greater

than kindness?

"Ring the bell that still can ring,

Forget your perfect offering.

There is a crack in everything,

That's how the light gets in."

Leonard Cohen