Picture of Sue and Wes Biddle, courtesy of Jennifer Johnson
Woodstock Revisited, Sort Of
by Sue Biddle, Author of “Because I Asked“
I was at my desk, grading papers, when one of my students, Jack, sauntered towards me in the somewhat stealthy manner of many eighth grade boys. “Mrs. Saunders,” he said, “did you actually go to Woodstock?” It was an unexpected question, and it left me wondering about the nature of it. Was he trying to figure out my age, using extraneous information as a clue? Some students had tried that. Or, was he hoping to distract his teacher from starting the boring class assignment she had planned?
Hoping to get going with the boring class assigned I had planned, I asked “Why do you ask, Jack?” He replied “Well, I was watching TV last night and then a show called Woodstock, The Movie started. I watched the whole show, and it was great! Just thought you might have been the right age to go there. Were you?” I smiled and nodded, Yes, I was the right age to have gone to the original Woodstock Music and Arts Aquarian Exposition in New York state, which had lasted from August 15-18, 1969. I had had my 24th birthday on August 19, 1969, so I was totally the right age! But had I gone—no, but I had also watched the movie!
At that point, the boring classwork stopped for awhile as Jack and I and a few other students who had also stayed up too late the night before watching the movie discussed seeing huge crowds of young people on bikes and in vans. Some were working on stages and electrical equipment for the scheduled musicians to entertain the expected crowds. A group yoga session for all and the music—Jimi Hendrix performed the longest—but all the famous entertainers came, including Janis Joplin. People were making and wearing beads. There were some young children in town and old dogs, too. When the rain hit, everyone was advised to “take care of each other and also avoid the electrical equipment.” Finally, I told the class that I hadn’t attended Woodstock even though I could have, age-wise. Then I assigned a short writing composition titled: Woodstock Sounds Like Fun—yes or no?
I haven’t seen Jack in the years since the discussion about Woodstock. However, I spoke recently with a woman who attended one of the Woodstock revivals (she couldn’t remember if it was the second or third) told me it had been lame and that is all that I knew other than what I had seen in the movie.
As it turned out, my life has been filled with lots of good things, family (I have four wonderful children and whole bunch of grandchildren and great-grandchildren), love (I eventually changed my name to Mrs. Biddle), music, and many dogs. I went to Bowling Green State University, became a teacher, taught for 14 years and worked for 15 years for the Ohio Education Association as a union representative.
And now, it is my 79th birthday. Thanks to my wonderful family, I finally got to attend Woodstock in Fort Collins, Colorado. Sara, the hostess for this Woodstock revival, created a tentative schedule for the entire weekend (schedule attached). Wes, the Mr. Biddle previously alluded to, and I arrived on August 15th in the company of Rachel and Steven Hammersmith, who had taken on the job of getting the oldsters (the Biddles) from Ohio to Colorado safely. As the evening went on, others arrived from as close as the Denver area and the distant mountain town of Paonia in Colorado, to Seattle,Indianapolis, and the far reaches of Ohio. Some alcohol was consumed (including a little wine for me) and much catching up with each of the new arrivals took place. Tired, we adjourned to various locations around Fort Collins. Some, including us, stayed at the Streights and others went to an Airbnb.
Unfortunately for Wes and me, the next morning after a sleepless night and perhaps poor adapting to the Colorado elevation, I got sick, and Wes took care me. Mutual misery! This unfortunate detail makes me wonder if others at the first Woodstock had the same experience or something similar…maybe.
After I recovered, we participated in some of the planned events but some things the younger people did alone, which was fine. Emily provided beads and such and many necklaces and bracelets were made and worn. Music of all sorts was ever present—that was fun and brought back many memories. The planned scavenger hunt was scrapped because it was just too darned hot, but no one cared.
Lots of good food appeared somehow thanks to various people, and there was always plenty and it was delicious!
The final night, Saturday, August 18, was the actual Birthday Bash! Everyone came in Woodstock era attire and photos were taken to prove it. Very cool! Although the weather report had predicted rain, unlike the original Woodstock, none ever came to dampen the festivities and there was no mud (thank goodness)!
Phil Johnson created a curated playlist of original music from Woodstock, which played through the speakers on the patio and throughout the house. Eventually a guitar and a ukelele appeared and everyone sang along. The regular family musicians, John, Jenny, Erin, and newbies Kenneth and Andrew played and sang. Music from the original Woodstock was attempted and many more family favorites with simple lyrics that everyone recognized enough to sing along to were sung. It was lovely, though not possibly the quality of Woodstock, they definitely filled with memories. And ultimately the music slowed down a bit and the stories began. Most were directed at, or rather centered around, me. Mrs. Biddle or more precisely, Mom, Aunt Susie, or Grandma Biddle. Everyone, it seemed, had a funny or poignant story to share about me, or my mother, or about each other. One story inspired another and went one and one until, around midnight, the party finally came to an end.
As the weekend, and this composition, ends, I am trying to compare this Woodstock and the 1969 original. Well, there were lots of people, lots of music, lots of good food, interesting attire, memories made and other memories re-remembered.
So, if I could talk to my 8th grade student, Jack, now about whether I actually went to Woodstock, I would tell him that yes, I did, in every way that really matters to me—peace, music, and family.
I would also tell him that I am so glad he asked. Thanks to Jack and to everyone who made this a lovely time. As Grandma Carr would say, “What a party.”
Thank you so much Sue Biddle for sharing your beautiful story with us!
TTR Networking is very excited to introduce you to an exclusive collection of warm-hearted insightful memories, observations, poems, and stories by Sue Biddle!
Sue is a mom, grandma, great-grandma, wife, retired teacher, and amazing writer! She has a cherished connection with TTR Networking – she is Jennifer Johnson’s lovely Mom!
Sue originally wrote this story 2 days after her birthday event! She was so thankful to her children and amazing family for thoughtfully recreating what Woodstock was like just for her! She sat down with her pen and paper and her words just flowed onto the pages…
Sue will share with us more heartfelt and thought-provoking blogs she created from a lifetime of being genuinely inquisitive, curious, caring, and asking questions to learn more about people’s experiences and perspectives.
Her blogs are keys to learning how to build better relationships by strengthening the human connection with being vulnerable, giving undivided attention, actively listening, and showing appreciation and gratitude!
Coming Soon – “Because I Asked…”
“If you could have taken a different path in your life, would you?”
Thank you for reading Sue Biddle’s DEBUT Blog:
“Woodstock Revisited, Sort Of”!
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Blog Post crafted by Nicole Williams, founder of Start Your Blog!, Thankful Social Media Marketing, and Thankful Single Momma!
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