John Lennon's message for peace

Twenty-seven years ago today John Lennon's life was taken from him in front of his New York City apartment with his wife Yoko by his side. Like millions of others, I remember to this day exactly where I was when I heard the news (in my case, in the cold, dark parking lot of Mt. Hood Community College following a late night jazz rehearsal on campus). We were all shocked. Stunned. Deeply saddened. John Lennon was only 40. Today we are reminded what a great loss and a tragic waste his death was. And yet, in only 40 years of life, John Lennon made amazing contributions to the human race that people continue to talk about today and will still be talking about for generations to come. To paraphrase a piece of Apple ad copy (if you'll forgive me), you do not have to agree with everything John Lennon said or even everything he stood for, but there is no denying his impact and his genius...and his compassion. He changed things. And he is still changing things. He certainly saw things differently. He wasn't always fond of rules or the status quo, and he was just "insane" enough—just "crazy" enough—to think he could change the world. We all have that kind of "insanity" inside us. John Lennon's legacy is a reminder that we need to let that bit of ourselves out—that bit which others may call "crazy." Inventors, creators, explorers and all those who inspire greatness in others have always been called "crazy." And they are the ones who do indeed change the world, or at least that little slice of the world around them. In this sense, there is a little bit of "John Lennon" in all of us (if you want it).

War is Over!
On imaginepeace.com today there is a very interesting video presentation and a letter from Yoko to John that many of you will want to check out. The letter and the video (especially the Happy Christmas music video at the end) are evocative, and for many provocative perhaps. But you can not read the letter and watch the video presentation and not feel something. First I read the letter from Yoko to John. It is very simple and very beautiful. It speaks to the loss all of us have felt, (feel, or will feel) when we lose the person most important to us. For many, you'll feel something quite profound. Read the letter, then watch the video; you will surely feel something. Click on the image below to read the letter and watch the video.



Three video presentations for peace
I didn't expect to be moved so deeply while simply checking a few websites in the morning while having my first cup of coffee on this lazy, sunny Saturday in Osaka. But I was floored by this short documentary-like footage of John, Yoko, and the peace message. Then I thought I would revisit two other video presentations set to John's music that we've all seen many times before. But today it seemed like an appropriate way to remember John Lennon and his message. Below are Give Peace a Chance, Happy Christmas (sans the interview footage), and Imagine. "Happy Christmas" may not be what you expect — no Santa, no snowmen, etc.— but it is a strong example of the power of imagery working in harmony with "voice" (in this case, a song).

Give Peace a Chance


Happy Christmas


Imagine

Comments

[Alan]

John refers to "peace in your mind" and "no violent minds", but the state of most men's OWN minds goes completely unnoticed by them. Nothing will really change in the world until each person observes or witnesses their own mind, i.e. the challenging practice of Self-awareness.

Right now, as you look at this screen (which is perceived in your mind), are you aware of yourself looking at it? ...Are you including yourself in the experience of looking? ...Are you aware of the shapes and colors in your peripheral vision?

If not, the "birth" of real peace in you, figuratively represented by the Nativity, will never occur.

[Ed Eubanks]

I'm not old enough to really remember John Lennon (I do remember when he was shot), but I grew up hearing a lot about him. I agree that he was an amazing man who accomplished a lot in his brief 40 years. I wish he had lived, that I might know more of his impact.

As I was reading your post, this occurred to me: Bono is the new Lennon. What do you think? Like Lennon, he is the front-man for one of the most successful bands in the world in recent generations. And, like Lennon, he has taken advantage of his prominence to bring attention and affect change in meaningful, substantial areas of the world. And, like Lennon, his stature and prominence as a public figure has come to mean more than just his work in music (in other words, people take him seriously about it).

Am I off on this? I know that many in generations that came before me insist on the Beatles' status as "best band ever, period." So I may be treading on sacred ground in even suggesting that someone might be like John Lennon...

[Aniruddha]

I grew up with the Beatles. Their music had an impact on a generation that was groundbreaking, influential, inspirational and unique at the time. When the Beatles split up I was devastated. Looking at this retrospectively I see that John Lennon was indeed a dreamer.

His exhortations to peace were not well thought out nor his solutions very practical. Just thinking of peace doesn't necessarily make a person peaceful. The peace movement of the time was predominantly a reaction to the Vietnam and Cold wars and certainly not the property of John Lennon alone. He had the insight and the awareness to reflect the mood of the times.

His influence diminished post Beatles as did that of the other members. Their sum was greater than the total of the parts. He was heading into a low period both personally and artistically. He highlighted this point when he mentioned he had fame and influence but wasn't happy.

It is ironic and sad he died the way he did. Despite his influence and his desire for peace he wasn't able to stop his tragic death.

[Paul M.]

Thanks for reminding about John with your post. He was the guy who talked about things that were obvious for so many people at that time. Even after so many years I still think his words are too far away from our ego-centric world.

Let's Digg their site: http://digg.com/music/27th_Death_Anniversary_Letter_from_Yoko_to_John_Lennon

Alan, Self-awareness, you bet! This is what many people are missing. They don't think how to change their lives, what is going on inside of them with their emotions. This is sad.

[Syven]

What was great about John Lennon was that he lived his life through his own experiences, so he was in touch with his own intelligence and did offer practical solutions, one of which was the greater message to use the very tools of media to SELL PEACE.

He figured if advertising worked for selling the superficial, it could be applied to sell the real. He was advocating using the mechanisms of media in a useful way, so are we serious about our own media consumption? have we really exercised a greater level of a media imagination than what he once advocated?

The fact that he gets turned into a poster child does not take away the active nature of his existence, the bottom line about John Lennon was that he was alive to life, which is more than most people who merely comment on life or pass by window shopping without ever experiencing anything actually real, in a life that we still possess. What does it say about our own time if John Lennon still does more good in a memorial state, then most of us will probably do in a lifetime in our own living existence?

Lennon didn't say he was the answer, and yes he did sing slogan songs like "Give peace a chance", "Imagine" but people also forget that his experience based life led him to write some really raucous stuff, that wasn't gentle and softy-wofty on the ear. The guy lived life as he knew it, had the talent to translate those experiences into art and it isn't art here that is being celebrated but a life lived to the perimeters of its potential.

How many people can honestly put their hands up and say that they too are living to their potential or even remotely close to it and we all have the added benefit of still being alive.

M.

[elizabeth]

Thanks for remembering a peaceful man who impacted so many of us.
I can call up the shock and sadness I felt on that day 27 years ago and yet I try to remember all the beauty in words, music and art he bought to the world.
give Peace a chance.