Some of what Bob Dylan means to me Denise M. Konkal
June 24, 2016
Dear Bob I wrote this as a post to try and answer a question of what you mean to me....It is not an easy answer but this morning I tried to write something and here it is:

Capturing everything Bob Dylan has meant to me over my life is as elusive as hearing answers that are "blowin' in the wind"; yet as near to me as my own heartbeat! At 75, his music spans over 5 decades and yet his earliest songs are as meaningful today as ever! He is a true minstrel and poet and his subject matter seems to have no bounds and the diversity of musical style so engaging - both leaving an experience that lasts long after the song has ended. I think this timelessness comes from the fact that like all great poets he is able to catch hold universal ideas and capture them within a single phrase or line. He is a great observer and coupled with his writing he is able to render down the most complex and overwhelming aspects of living into a simplicity helps us process it. He pierces to the core and makes us want to cry out; "that's it, that is what I see and wanted to say but could not convey." We see ourselves and others in his songs which break through the facades that vanity and hypocrisy construct! His music is not ego driven but full of insight and passion which is probably one of the greatest reasons for his longevity as an artist. Only a person of such passion can help us find the things of real value instead of the pride and ego driven insecurities that plague humankind. We can commiserate with him about things we have lost and equally rejoice with him on things we have found. I also regard Bob Dylan as a type of historian albeit one with more integrity than many. Bob Dylan has been a constant companion for me, we grew up together and although he does not know me, he knows me well and though we have never sat down and spoke with one another we have had many deep and satisfying conversations. We have laughed, cried, and yes sang together. Our observations of life and the human condition are fused in a way that defies space or time. This exchange is real and reciprocal in the sense that even though he never hears me, he hears me and he answers! No I am not deluded and I certainly do not consider Bob Dylan to be God or anything close to that! It is our shared sensibilities, our disdain for injustice, our fearless fight against the vanity and hypocrisy that makes him kindred! He is a sojourner whose artistry is an invitation to anyone wanting to join him. He makes no apology for his art and though it has transitioned many times it maintains a constant thread of his character weaving throughout while he seems to juxtapose the temporal with eternal without ostentation. I have also appreciate the fact that Bob does not nail it down in terms of interpretation but leaves you to find meaning for yourself and that can change and deepen with time! What has Bob Dylan meant to me over these decades? Well, daily his music and his words permeate my life. Like a chair by the fireplace I find a living space in Bob Dylan's music - a place I feel at home!
Happy 75th birthday Bob!
God Bless you always and in all ways!
Love forever in Yeshua
nissi a.k.a Denise