View From My Heart #1 - American Beauty by the Grateful Dead

Well, after I got home from my epiphany with Ray I realized that I had only listened to the album one time. Luckily, for once my older brother Stephen's mostly wayward music collection finally came in handy! Of course he had American Beauty he said, on CD even! So I borrowed his CD player and sat down to really digest American Beauty.

If I had to choose one theme from American Beauty that theme would be "love", which is something we're commanded to do! But let's not forget the many other wholesome and uplifting themes. That being said, my favorite song is probably "Sugar Magnolia", which surprisingly explains the role of righteous mother in Zion. For example,

"She's got everything delightful
She's got everything I need
Takes the wheel when I'm seeing double
Pays my ticket when I speed"

Isn't this the kind of support we've been encouraged to give our husbands? Can I get an "amen" from my Sister's in Zion? And for the husbands,

"Sugar Magnolia blossom's blooming
Head's all empty and I don't care"

I hope that one day, my future eternal companion will be able to look past my intellectual shortcomings (for those that don't know, I'm only a visiting summer student at BYU, and have nevver been accepted as a regular student) and appreciate me for my attempts to beutify myself and our home.

I couldn't help but personally relate to the song too when it said,

"She can dance a Cajun rhythm
Jump like a Willys in four wheel drive
She's a summer love in the spring, fall and winter
She can make happy any man alive"

As I've said before, I love to dance! And there's nobody I know that can beat me out back on the old tramp. I'd like to think that my simple talents really could make my future man very happy.

Another theme, that of the consequences of our actions, is found in the song "Ripple". There are consequences to all of our actions, and sometimes it is hard to live the gospel. There is, "a road", but it is "no simple highway". Yeah, because it's a straight and narrow one!

This song too reminds me of Peter, because "You who choose to lead must follow". I think we all know who that person to follow is. And even better to song was written by Jerry Garcia! You know, like the Ice Cream!

Anyway the Grateful Dead is about love. I really wish that I could have gone to a concert and felt some of that love, but I did some internet research and I understand Jerry died and they don't perform shows anymore. Well, thank goodness for records! Until next time, this is a View from my heart.