Today is the anniversary of the tragic and untimely death of John Lennon. It was twenty-eight years ago that Lennon was killed by Mark David Chapman outside the Dakota. I just came from Strawberry fields in Central Park, across from the Dakota, where the Imagine circle lies and where so many come to pay tribute to John.
I was struck by how many people came by in tourist droves. This was part of their sight seeing and as I sat there in the bitter cold reflecting on John’s impact I thought of this…
John Lennon had a profound impact on the history of the world. He first was a member of the most popular band in the world, which got him seen and into the conscious of so many, but he then took all that attention and used it to spread a message of peace and love and a message that still impacts so many people. He stood up and put his heart and soul out to the world through his music and became a catalyst for people who felt the same way he did, who wanted to see a better world.
As John said, “some might say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” Lennon knew there were many, who felt the same way he did and he made them feel he was speaking directly to them. What better human interaction can one have than speaking with other human beings? That is what we all seek in life, quality human interactions. Feeling that there is another being on this planet that feels the same way we do. That is community, tribes, and friendship.
So as I reflect back on my morning and all those people that John has touched and continues to touch, I think to my own music/life and how I can apply the idea of “I’m not the only one” into my conversation with others. How can I be of service, of kinship to my fellow beings on this wonderful journey of life and strike a common thread in their lives?
I am so thankful to have found music (at the late age of 24) and the road it has taken me down has been nothing short of amazing. My musical heroes speak to me even now despite their passing. John Lennon is the biggest of those heroes that I have and so today I pay tribute to the man who has asked so many profound questions and offered such wonderful answers. He spoke from his heart and has touched mine.
Thanks John, your spirit lives on.
