Sunshine Makes Me Happy

Every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do when I get out of bed is look out the window. Seeing the sun splash across my lawn starts the day off well. Then, I think of just one line of a John Denver song, “Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy,” because it does! It probably makes me corny, but that's okay.

John Denver was at the height of his career when I was a kid. His songs are part of the sound track of my childhood. They are ingrained in my brain. He appeared on favorite shows like "The Muppets" and the movie “Oh God!” opposite George Burns. He was a gentle soul too, and had a love of nature. I think that may be part of the reason he was appealing to the little kid Jen.

Little Me with Sunshine On My Shoulders.
My hair was puffy, even then.

Later, the grown up Jen, met and fell in love with, and married a gentle soul named John, and he was born in Denver (Colorado that is). This is what he looked like in 1974. Yup, he had a John Denver album to boot. Maybe that influenced the haircut, or maybe it was that just about every boy his age had that look. My John, didn’t have that haircut anymore, all those years later when I met him.

Hubby in 1974.
A future photographer, that intent gaze means he's watching the school photographer.

Since I've got that song in my head now, I can't get it out. Maybe the song can get stuck in someone else's head and it can leave mine. Here's the lyrics, you can sing along next time you're driving in the car on a sunny day.


Sunshine On My Shoulders by John Denver

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy

Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry

Sunshine on the water looks so lovely

Sunshine almost always makes me high



If I had a day that I could give you

I'd give to you the day just like today

If I had a song that I could sing for you

I'd sing a song to make you feel this way

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost always makes me high

If I had a tale that I could tell you
I'd tell a tale sure to make you smile
If I had a wish that I could wish for you
I'd make a wish for sunshine for all the while

Sunshine on my shoulders makes me happy
Sunshine in my eyes can make me cry
Sunshine on the water looks so lovely
Sunshine almost all the time makes me high

John Denver, Conservationist and Musician