After Jimmy Buffett's passing last week, I began thinking about his influence on my philosophy and dreams, one of which was relocating to Florida. Embarrassingly, I realized that in the last six years, I had only spent one measly day of leisure on my patio listening to Jimmy Buffett music.
Outdoor living like this is exactly what I used to dream of back when I lived in Colorado. Many a cold winter evening whilst donning one of my Hawaiian shirts and playing Jimmy Buffet tunes, would I dream about being able to comfortably grill year round in flip flops. I was disgusted with myself and set out to change this, starting with the weekend. I hit the store and stocked up on hamburger fixings and of course lots of Landshark Lager.
That being said, I'm happy to say I had a wonderful Saturday at home spent with my bride. I grilled, swam, threw back more than a few Landshark Lagers, listened to Jimmy Buffett music, and enjoyed a cheeseburger in paradise. The day turned out more wonderful than I ever imagined.
.jpg "Tribute Cheeseburger for Jimmy Buffett")
My Cheeseburger in Paradise..
So as you can see, I grilled and enjoyed my 'Cheeseburger in Paradise' as a tribute of sorts to Jimmy Buffett. I crafted my cheeseburger just like Jimmy liked his as well, with Muenster cheese, lettuce, tomato, Heinz 57, and an onion slice. French fried potatoes, a big Kosher pickle, and ice cold beer were the perfect accompaniments.
As my bride and I repeatedly moved to and fro from the pool to our patio chairs, we took time to really listen to the lyrics in Jimmy Buffet's songs. Some made us flat out laugh and some made us really ponder what life is truly about. I must admit that his newest song only released a day ago from his forthcoming album, brought a tear to my eye. The song is called 'Bubbles Up' and I absolutely love it. Here's a link to the video in case you haven't heard it yet..
The emotion I felt while listening to this song was not because it carries a sad or melancholy message. On the contrary, it's inspiring and is meant to pull you out of a funk and realize there is hope, people who love you, and that there are good things in life to look forward to.
What got to me personally, is that Jimmy wrote this song and planned on releasing it soon, inevitably knowing what direction his health was going. What an incredible Man. He still wanted to bring peace and comfort to folks, when he had every right to retire and simply focus on himself and his family during his last days. Pondering this humbled me and made me realize my problems are pretty insignificant compared to many other folks.
10 years ago..
when my flip flops were brand new
Both of us were a lot less weathered
The loss of Jimmy Buffett was like a punch to the gut this week. I must say however that listening to his songs for hours on end, reminiscing about seeing him in concert and looking back on the many memories we have from his music, was like medicine for our souls.
I don't know what the loss of this icon will mean for Parrot Head Nation. I do have a sneaking suspicion we will hear new music from him for years to come. I really hope his fanbase as well as his empire continues to grow. Will we see special tribute concerts, meetups, fan fests and events? I certainly hope so. I believe his legacy is in good hands with his family.
There's enough good stuff Jimmy created and crafted for us to last a lifetime. The concepts and escapism he opened our minds to is priceless. I'm sure there will be more for us to experience, and I will anxiously await to see what that is.