Yes, we are certainly inspired by Perseverance the Mars rover that just landed on the surface of Mars. Amazing engineering that will ultimately develop new technologies that will benifit the world, I believe.

We here at Woodsounds love the name Perseverance. A favorite Calvin Coolidge quote goes something like this.

"Nothing in the world can take the place of Perseverance. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Perseverance and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race."

Though I have replaced the word presistence with Perseverance.

Additionally, we have all been in lockdown for a year now. It has been very difficult for all and more difficult for many. Perseverance is the way through. And I am confident in humanity in its Perseverance.

The story of Kokopelli Moon:

For many years, Kokopelli had been playing his flutes to Moon. She seemed to enjoy Kokopelli’s music, yet never paused to listen, nor danced in the sky to the music. Moon simply continued through the night sky on the lonely path she took every night. Though Kokopelli loved playing to Moon, he felt there was a more meaningful connection with Moon. For as long as he had played the flute, Kokopelli played for Moon. If only he could travel to her and play the flute with her where they could talk.

Kokopelli decided the best thing to do was to take some action to get to his goal of playing the flute and talking with Moon.

He gathered his things and traveled East. Along the way, everyone he met, he spoke with about his desire to play and talk with Moon. No one knew what he could do to make this real.

Many years later he came to a body of water that was so large he could not see the other side. On the freshwater bank he found Frog. “Frog” he asked, “do you know how to get to Moon?” “Of course!” said Frog. “See the horizon in the East there, where the water turns to sky? This is where Moon rises. This is her home.” 
“Thank you so much! I have been looking for her home for many years! Now I can finally have the experience of my inner heart.” Kokopelli replied.

Kokopelli cut a tree and carved a canoe from it. It took nearly a year to finish the canoe. But in the end, he had a boat that was solid and fast. He went rowing for the home of Moon which Frog had told him about.

Many days passed with him on the water. He ran out of food and rigged up a fishing pole to feed himself. A month later, Kokopelli landed on a distant shore just as Moon was rising over the horizon. No, this was not the home of Moon. It was just another land. Frustrated, Kokopelli turned South. 
Years passed when finally, Kokopelli came to a huge cliff. On the cliff was Lizard. “Lizard,” Kokopelli asked, “do you know where Moon lives? Do you know how to get to her?”

“Oh yes.” said Lizard. “I see Moon come from her home every day. She lives right up at the top of this cliff.”

“Are you certain this is where she lives?”, asked Kokopelli. “Once I was told she lived at the end of a large water. Yet when I arrived, she was not there.”

“Look.” said Lizard, “I see Moon there once a day. The rest of the time she is in the sky. This is the only place I know of where you can meet her.” And off he scampered after a fly.

Kokopelli did not know how he would ascend the cliff. He played his flute contemplating. As he played, he dreamed of stairs in the cliff that went to the top. He glanced at the cliff in longing and was surprised to see what looked like stairs in the cliff face. Excited, he made his way to the stairs and began to climb. The cliff was so tall it took him the better part of two days to reach the top. When there, Moon was not. Kokopelli waited. Every day, Lizard had said, Moon came here. All he had to do was wait. Yet when Moon poked her face above the horizon, she was still so far away. Yes, Moon passed over but she did not live at the top of the cliff.

Kokopelli turned West. Surely some direction would bring him his Dream. Kokopelli traveled and traveled. Though he talked to everyone he came across, no one knew the way to Moon.

And one night, Kokopelli pulled out his flute and began to play. He felt he was no closer than he had ever been to reaching his goal. He did not know what to do to get a result different from all the previous efforts. He felt defeated. He played his frustrations through the flute. He played all the struggles. All the difficult and all the joyous vistas he had experienced on his journey. He played all his love for Moon. All his hope to bring his music right to her and be able to talk with her. He played every feeling and emotion in his body, soul, heart.

The campfire crackled. The cicadas sang. The night birds talked. And out from the bush came Coyote.

Coyote watched as Kokopelli played and Coyote could see the longing of Kokopelli. “Moon is lovely tonight is she not?” Coyote asked Kokopelli. Startled by Coyote, Kokopelli faltered in his song and came to a rest. “Yes, she is lovely tonight.” Kokopelli agreed. “I long to visit her and I do not know how to get to her.” 

“There is a way to get to Moon. The way is difficult and will take much time to accomplish.” said Coyote. “Oh please!” said Kokopelli. “Please share this knowledge with me and I will put forth all my effort and ability to reach Moon.” Kokopelli stared at Moon in admiration. And so, he did not see Coyote’s secret smile. He did not catch the twinkle in Coyote’s eye.

“To get to Moon you must climb the highest mountains and as she passes over you, jump up and reach for her.” Coyote said. Kokopelli asked, “Which mountains are the highest that will allow me to reach Moon?” Coyote pointed North to the Uintah mountains. “Deep in these mountains you will find a peak that is taller than all of the others around it. It will take many days of travel to get to the base of this peak. Then you must scale the slopes of the mountain, through the trees, up the rock screes, and through the snow near the top. There you will find your path to Moon. It will be a dangerous and difficult journey.”

Kokopelli returned home and packed up supplies for his journey. Coyote smiled, thinking of how much fun it would be to see Kokopelli struggle to the top of the highest peak only to find he can no more jump from there to Moon than he could from this valley floor.

After hiking North for several days, Kokopelli was tired and nearly out of pemmican. He would need to hunt some fresh game to feed himself.

Several days later Kokopelli was in a deep forest and could not see well the mountains around him for the thickness of the trees. Suddenly he came to a clearing and found the huge peak right in front of him. It was late and he stopped to make camp. While playing his flute, he was surprised again by Coyote.

“Hello.” said Coyote. “How is your journey progressing?”

“Well, here I am at the base of the tallest peak. Tomorrow I will begin the journey up its slopes.”

Wanting to see Kokopelli’s face as he realized the joke that was played on him, Coyote asked, “May I accompany you up the slope?”

“I would be honored to have your company,.” Kokopelli said.

They rose early the next morning, broke camp, and put their feet to the trail up the mountain.

The going was difficult and at one point Kokopelli lost his footing and rolled twenty feet down the slope until he caught himself just in time. Coyote quietly giggled to himself. 

Up they struggled. With four legs the way seemed to be easier for Coyote than it was for Kokopelli with his two legs.

Finally, they reached a place where the trees grew stunted. Then no trees at all. Then they reached the snow. It was deep but the air was cold and Kokopelli found the snow would support his weight if he was careful.

The peak was just in view. Kokopelli was so excited. However, Moon was not in sight. He would need to wait for her. So, he set up camp and built a small fire with the wood he brought with him.

Six hours later, Moon poked her head over the horizon in the East. She was so huge there on the horizon! Oh, surely he was going to be able to jump up and reach her. It would not be much longer now! Hours passed and Moon rose slowly into the night sky. However, the higher she got the smaller she seemed to become. Undaunted, when Moon was directly overhead, Kokopelli jumped as high and hard as he could. As he fell back to the snow, his heart sank, and Coyote laughed and laughed.

Kokopelli still was not daunted. He got up and pulled out his flute. As he played the cloud right in front of him turned to ice and he crawled up onto the cloud. Coyote laughed. “You will never reach Moon! It is impossible!”

Now it was Kokopelli’s time to laugh. “Oh, mean-hearted Coyote, you must not realize a truth I know. Nothing in this world can take the place of Perseverance. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Perseverance and determination alone are omnipotent. I will reach Moon. I will climb and hike and do whatever needs doing.”

Kokopelli reached a higher cloud and played his flute to the cloud. It, too, hardened, and on he climbed. Many clouds later, Kokopelli reached an end of clouds. Above him the Stars laughed as they saw his struggle. “What are you doing?” they called. 
“I am going to visit Moon.” said Kokopelli. 
“You can’t climb the clouds to reach Moon. They are not high enough.” said the Stars. 
“Then how can I get to Moon?” Kokopelli asked. 
“You must reach out to us with the music of your flute. If your music is sweet and soulful enough, we will let down a rope for you. Climb this rope to us. When Moon passes next, you can leap down from us to Moon.” the Stars answered.

So Kokopelli, standing on the highest cloud, began playing the most beautiful strains he had ever played. He reached into his very heart and played the most powerful gentle feelings from his flute. The Stars began to sway in the heavens as Kokopelli played. The stars always loved the music Kokopelli made, but when he was down on Mother Earth he was just too far away from the Stars to see them dance as he played. A rope appeared before Kokopelli and he began to climb. He could not see the top of the rope. It went up so high it disappeared from his vision. He climbed on and on. He grew tired and tied the rope around himself and slept. He began counting the times he slept as he could not tell anymore if it were night or day. He was just too high. Moon passed by overhead. Still too far away for him to get to yet. Six times he slept, woke and climbed. He saw Moon off to his right. She almost seemed like she was below him. So, he tied off and slept a bit to give Moon time to travel. When he awoke, Moon was below him! Oh, how exciting! He waited until she was right under him and leapt into the crescent of Moon.

Sitting down, Kokopelli pulled out his flute and began to play.

A deep slow rumble began. Afraid that Moon was going to pull herself apart, Kokopelli called out. Moon called back in a deep slow rumble of a voice, “Kokopelli! I am so happy you persevered and completed your journey. I love listening to you play every time I go overhead, and now here you are with me playing beautiful music. This is the best day ever!”