This song was written at about the same time Jabo and I met Ken Vasquez. Ken was a wonderful young man – an athlete – who was stricken with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). We were privileged to join a group of Ken’s family and friends in caring for him during his last days. We spent many hours joking and laughing with Ken, and talking with him about his impending death. He was just an average guy who demonstrated amazing courage and incredible humor in the face of his own mortality. We told Ken we had dedicated this song to him and that whenever we performed it, we would talk about him. That way, he would live on. He liked that.
Love is a river and it runs so high
It can flood your heart when it’s parched and dry
It’ll save your soul when you want to die
And it keeps on flowing onward.
Truth is a river and its course is straight
It can wash away the fear and the hurt and the hate
It’s always patient but it will not wait
And the truth keeps flowing onward.
Flowing onward
The river flows to the sea
Going onward
Going with the flow and knowing how to be.
Jealousy’s a river and it runs so deep
There are fears to cross and tears to weep
To have and to hold but not to keep
And it keeps on flowing onward
Time is a river that we all swim through
Everything’s old and everything is new
It all depends on your point of view
And it keeps on flowing onward.
Flowing onward
The river flows to the sea
Going onward
Going with the flow and knowing how to be.
Life is a river and on it goes
You can dive in deep or just wet your toes
It’s filled with secrets that everyone knows
And it keeps on flowing onward.
Peace is river and it runs so clear
It will heal our world of its pain and fear
It’ll come when we realize each one is dear
And it keeps on flowing onward.
Flowing onward
The river flows to the sea
Going onward
Going with the flow and knowing how to be.
Flowing onward
The river flows to the sea
Going onward
Going with the flow and knowing how to be.
Flowing onward
The river flows to the sea
Going onward
Going with the flow and knowing how to be
Just be
Just be.
(Written May 18, 1984)
© Pat and Jerry Grigadean, 1998
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