Remembering 1969, is the story of one man’s search for personal spiritual growth during the transitional times of the 1960s. Robert Atkinson offers a beautifully written portrait of a defining, transformative year in his young adult life and, in the process, tells the story of a generation in transition. Beginning on July 20, 1969, with Neil Armstrong’s walk on the moon, Atkinson’s journey merges with important events of the time, including Woodstock and the maiden voyage of the Hudson River sloop Clearwater. Atkinson works with Pete Seeger on the Clearwater, visits Arlo Guthrie at his home in the Berkshires, and serendipitously meets Joseph Campbell, who becomes an important mentor. His memoir follows the cycle of the seasons, starting with summer and sailing on the sloop. Fall finds Atkinson in the woods on a solitary retreat, where he learns important lessons from being alone in nature. Winter carries him to a retreat at a Franciscan monastery to explore the mysteries of a sacred tradition. A fateful meeting with Joseph Campbell helps to put the entire journey into perspective. Spring brings a return to Atkinson’s alma mater college to teach a course and share with students the timeless lessons he has learned, awakening in them their own spiritual unfolding.
