There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance. We need to learn to love ourselves first, in all our glory and our imperfections. If we cannot love ourselves, we cannot fully open to our ability to love others or our potential to create. Evolution and all hopes for a better world rest in the fearlessness and open-hearted vision of people who embrace life.
- John Lennon
Today marks the 29th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. It is a day that I have marked with some recognition for most of my life. Usually involving a lengthy conversation with my mother recalling where she was when she found out (in the car with my sister) and what he meant to her and her generation. As a child of an entirely different culture filled with louder and relentless opinions, promotions, and declarations I sometimes forget that before Lennon it was rare for an entertainer to use their fame and platform to take a large scale political stance. And it can safely be said that no one’s influence rivaled that of the former Beatle.
Lennon used his skill for crafting memorable phrases to transpose messages for the larger social consciousness giving a poignant and unrelenting voice to a massive movement calling for peace. Political peace, social peace, inner peace. It is a timeless cause and his words remain just as relevant now as they did when they were first spoken. Simply reading his words and recalling his actions will remind you of his impact on music, politics and culture. In his wake there have been and will continue to be artists who choose to use their voice to further noble causes but John truly was a pioneer.
I’d like to think my own actions and words pay tribute to his dedication to a greater cultural awareness and in writing this, using my own little platform you may also carry on the spirit of peace and love that was the very heart of John Lennon’s work.
You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us. And the world will live as one.
Imagine – Eva Cassidy
Happy Christmas (War Is Over) – Polyphonic Spree
Well said.