I don’t know what I’m having the harder time with: The fact that John Lennon was murdered 33 years ago today or that I’m old enough to remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. I don't even feel like I'm 33.
It still seems inconceivable, doesn’t it? I think that was the first death where I remember what I was doing when I heard. I have clearer memories of that than when my grandmother died. It was all we could talk about in class. It felt like he had been ripped from us and it really, really hurt.
He was 40 when he died. That seemed old to me at the time, but now that I’m past that, I feel how clearly time robbed him. He had so much more music to make and so much to contribute through his humanitarian work, not to mention as a parent.
Or at least that’s how it feels, but maybe he had finished all he was put on earth here to do. His music lives on forever and so much of the good work he did continues to flourish through Yoko Ono and his two children.
As we head into the season, below is one of my favorite Lennon songs- year round. I loved the line about “without any fear.” When I was growing up and heard the song, I would hear that line and think, “how did he know we’re afraid?” I realize now he was talking about a much greater global fear, but that line spoke to be directly and the song still does.
I’ve given to the charities most closely associated with Lennon already, so today’s $10 goes to Free Arts NYC, an organization supported by Yoko Ono that encourages artful expression by children, including a mentoring program, a parents and children together program, a museum and studio visit program and other cultural enrichment programs.
Dec. 8. Free Arts NYC
Click here to get “Causes and Effects” delivered every day to your email inbox (the subscription link now works) or enter your email in the top right corner.
No comments:
Post a Comment