Alive and Well Enough
an audio only memoir by Jeff Daniels
published September 2023
image from audible
This reflection is about changing opinions and learning to appreciate others as they change—and maybe a whole lot more—or nothing at all, really. Scott and I listened to this memorable musical memoir of sorts at the end of September 2023 enroute to see our Colorado clan. On our way from Salt Lake City, we traveled through what seemed like the bottom of a dry ocean terrain or even another planet while we soaked in multiple stories told and songs sung by Jeff Daniels. First off — this is a fantastic platform for this artistic expression AND I must backtrack a little—or maybe three-ish decades.
My first interaction with Jeff Daniels was when he starred in the movie “Dumb and Dumber” I had very little patience for the movie and a whole lot of judgement for anyone who would act in such a movie or even like such a movie.
And then, a few years later Jeff Daniels showed up as Colonel Chamberlain in “Gettysburg” —and all of a sudden I began to see him as a different person. Perhaps I had changed a bit too? My kids loved how he portrayed that character, and I began to read a bit about him as a person.
Several years, a couple of countries, and a few moves later I watched him in the TV show “Newsroom” — and I realized that perspective really can be expansive, and mine had truly begun to shift.
During the summer of 2019, we found ourselves in NYCity with front row seats as Jeff Daniels stood directly in front of us as he portrayed Atticus Finch in the Broadway performance of “To Kill a Mockingbird”. This too felt other worldly — a bit of transcendence.
So listening to this memoir with his music included seemed to bring back to mind our personal experiences and helped us deepen our appreciation of this grand human. Yes, Jeff Daniels is a little edgy, and he’s also very talented, deep, funny, humble, down to earth, a fabulous storyteller, and an extraordinary musician. All of these traits and then some come through brilliantly in this “Alive and Well Enough” Audible only audiobook. Through these few decades, he’s expanded in his human life, and I have as well. Perhaps I’ll go back and watch “Dumb and Dumber” now too—just for the fun of it—leaving judgement at the doorstep of a different me!
