Immortal for a Limited Time

I never met Neil Peart, but I consider him my greatest inspiration.

Peart was the drummer and lyricist for the Canadian rock band Rush. Critics and music fans have universally regarded him as one of the best drummers in the history of rock and roll, as well as one of the genre’s most insightful lyricists.

You can surrender without a prayer,
but you can never really pray without surrender.
 — Neil Peart

Throughout his career, Peart was bestowed with hundreds of honors in the music world, including the ultimate distinction: induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

But he was much more than a world class musician.

When I was a teenager, I read a quote from Peart, which I will paraphrase: the relentless pursuit of knowledge should be the driving force in all we do. As a kid in complete awe of his talent, those were words I needed to hear. That impression has lasted my lifetime.

However, it wasn’t just his relentless pursuit of knowledge and masterful drumming talent that elevated Peart to “hero” status for me. A tragic turn of events in Peart’s life solidified my deep admiration for his character as a human being.

In 1997, Peart’s 19-year-old daughter was killed in a car accident. Ten months later, he lost his wife to breast cancer. Understandably, he went into dark place and his desire to play music was gone. He said he had to “keep moving or die,” so in the fall of 1998, he got on his motorcycle and just … moved.

In the end, he traveled extensively throughout North and Central America — 55,000 miles — riding alone on his motorcycle and keeping a detailed journal of his emotions and experiences on the road.

Peart found the act of traveling alone a soul cleansing experience. The journal he carried became a touching book about his odyssey of healing, called Ghost Rider: Travels on the Healing Road.

Don’t leave spontaneity to chance.
 — Neil Peart

Peart published seven non-fiction books in his lifetime, focused on travel, music and personal stories. All are delightful reads.

After a period of mourning, he rejoined his bandmates and Rush toured the world for 15 more years, releasing some of the best music of their 40 year career.

He found happiness again, too. He remarried and became the proud father of a daughter in 2009.

When my son was born in 2009, I named him Neil.

~~~

Neil Peart kept his battle with glioblastoma private. When he died on 7 January 2020, the music world was stunned. He was 67 years old.

I wept when I heard of his passing. I felt a little foolish, shedding tears over a man I had never met, but he truly felt like a friend, a mentor and a teacher.

I guess that’s exactly what he was.

We’re only immortal for a limited time.
 —Neil Peart