I think it may be a bit self-indulgent to feel like it was like a punch in the gut when I learned a few minutes ago the Bill Moyers has died. He was ninety-one years old, and has shared from the depths of his soul for his entire life. It is time to let him rest, rather than be envious of whatever thoughts he might have left unshared at the end of his time.
One of the last television shows I would try to schedule around was Bill Moyers Journal on PBS. He would interview guests I had never heard of, but would seek out once I learned of them. His extended conversations with Joseph Campbell are such a treasure-trove of insight on mythology, showing commonalities of the elements of the heroic narrative that spans cultures, and unites humanity. The way they shared their conversation invited the listener to be part of it. It really conveyed a feeling of oneness with humanity.
As brilliant as Bill Moyers was, it was never his intent to display his intellect, but to facilitate our visit into the intellect and imagination of the guest he was interviewing. It's been a while, but I've enjoyed many hours hiking in the woods, with the volume my earbuds set so I could hear my footsteps, and the squirrels, but also take in the insights of conversations like this one, with Campbell.
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