YOUR LETTERS & MESSAGES (cont... 2)
8 December 2007
Ms.Ono: My stories on John Lennon as per your request. (And here is a nice aside: about eight years ago I sent this first one to you and received a nice card back. I was naturally reluctant to send it to you so as to not infringe on your privacy. It happened however to be Valentine's Day and as I left my house in the morning to do my work I was thinking about this to myself when my little daughter said, 'Daddy wait. You forgot your valentine.' She had one of those tiny candy valentines for Dad with teeny written messages on them. The message on this one was 'Yes.')
Cheers,
Bernie Quigley
Haverhill, NH'Free as a Bird: John Lennon's Unfinished Journey'
'On the death of John Lennon.' My article today for the on-line journal I write for.
I can't believe I am writing this or even doing something on Dec. 8. I kind of do what I think Yoko does on this day, hibernate and be torbid. Hi Yoko. I still have not recoverd from John's death, because he was my hero and I listened to him since I was 9 years old. I still listen to him through you. John is still alive today because of you. Yoko, you keep his music coming, his art work coming and the ''LENNON LIGHT'' in Iceland for the world to see. Since '68, I have had 2 heroes, you and John. You and John have done more for love and peace than everyone in the whole world combined. Everyone listens to John and Yoko.. EVERYONE !! If I live a million lives and a billion years, I will never talk about my story of Dec.8, 1980. It almost feels the same right now.
Well, here I am on Dec. 8 and I actually feel happy. I got an e-mail from Yoko !!!!!!!!! and though maybe millions of them went out, I GOT AN E-MAIL FROM YOKO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
strawberry love forever and ever, pete.
Dear Yoko,Thank you for your lovely note. For those of us of the 'John & Yoko' generation we remember December 8th as a sad and seminal day that marked the end of innocence. But through your work and love and encouragement many of us have been inspired to continue to try to make the world a better place.Your gift of John's songs for the Instant Karma/Make Some Noise campaign has made a huge difference and has been a resounding success all over the world. I hope Jonas will have told you that two of the tracks - Instant Karma by U2 and Working Class Hero by Green Day - are up for Grammy's.Next Thursday we will collect $2.5 million dollars from Warner's to fund and boost our efforts to stop the genocide in Darfur. None of this would have been possible without your gift.Just wanted to let you know that I am giving thanks today on the Anniversary of John's death for you and for the legacy of John that lives on through you.Warm wishes from Dublin,Bill.
hello to you yoko and all .
my name is Or Gedalia (yes Or is my name meaning 'light' in Hebrew)
and my story is that i was born on the 5th of December 1980 in Israel ,three days before john Lennon died so now i am 27 years old (as it seems) I am proud of having those three 'crossing time' days
of me leaving at john's time area ,otherwise I would've become something else . Sometimes i amuse myself with the thinking of john is
reincarnated through me in three days delay :)
but i am far far of being any like him (though i too a musician)
thank you all for the attention !
peace and love
Or
I am remembering an inspirational fallen social justice activist today.
'No man dies until the last person on Earth ceases to speak his name'
John Lennon 1940- FOREVER.
Thank you, Yoko, for continuing the fight! YOU, too, are an inspiration... .
Yoko : to You
to John today
to that light
shining
xo
On December 8th, in memory of John, my husband and I will light three candles one for Hope, Love, and Peace. John was a man of peace and will be remembered this way. John's spirit lives on. Merry Christmas John, we love and miss you.
Yoko, you and Sean are always in our thoughts and prayers. God Bless you.
Janice and Robert Bartel
Springfield, IL.
As many years have been rolling by, I have always played `Imagine' on Dec 8th. Practically my whole life. Not as a fan, but more as a human who understands loss of life, friends, lover. So, that song, has been a song for the meaning of `life' in this Christmas time of December. Memories never fade when the distance of the Universe is gapped with a bridge of celebration of new life, as it comes to the Earth. I appreciate the reminder but I am one person who understands the years of dedication you have put into our Earth... .
Thanks Yoko!
XO
Rikk Angelori
My friends and I will be remembering John at school. If I can persuade my
temperamental digital camera to work, I'll make a video. We'll be happy and celebrate his life, rather than mourn his death. Partly because we'd rather be happy than sad, and partly because to us John represents what you can accomplish in life, not death.Chrissie xxx
Here in Japan we have a 440-channel cable radio system. At 11:15pm I turned on the music-box channel, lit a candle, and sat down to pray. I gave thanks for John Lennon`s life and work. At 11:20 the song that came on was a music-box rendition of 'Imagine.' I have no idea if the programmers chose to play it at that specific time among all the Christmas songs, but it was lovely.
I would urge anyone residing in or visiting Japan to go to the John Lennon Museum in Saitama, about thirty minutes outside Tokyo.
Mary Kawai
Osaka, Japan 
Hi Yoko
and Hi Sean and Julian
and Hi to John twinkling in the sky
Today I am listening to John's music all morning from his album Imagine and also all the songs from the box set, which I call the Blue Sky box. And this afternoon I will watch 'the US v. John Lennon.'
I think if the negative forces had not stolen his life from him and us, that the USA and the people would have gotten the message by now. I imagine him as an old man full of humor and wisdom and love and it makes me smile and cry too. I was a baby when the Beatles came to the USA and grew up with the music and the messages and if it was not for those men and the music I would not know myself so I live without part of myself ever since.
but I will go forward and air dance to honor him and you, Yoko. And I will take my flashlight from the Imagine Peace exhibit that was at UTSA and I will send this message into the atmosphere:
i ii iii John
i ii iii Yoko
i ii iii Sean and Julian
I have my IMAGINE PEACE poster from the exhibit right here at my right hand and I think it makes a difference! Bless your family today and always
with all my love and respect
Jena
I sat in silence from 11:13 -11:20 with my eyes closed and The song Imagine playing in my head I allowed thoughts of John, Yoko and all that were close to him to come and go and I focused on sending the energy of Love to All and Imagined Peace for All.
Much Love & Peace
Bev
What a wonderful website! What a wonderful project!December 8th is Rohatsu in the Zen Buddhist calendar. I honor the day in that regard. It is a day to celebrate the Buddha's achievement of Enlightenment after long years of austerity.As Buddhism was one of the first world religions to actively promote non-violence and peace, even in a political realm, I have always thought that God honored John Lennon's work for peace by taking him back to Himself at this time of year.Every time I think of John and Yoko, I think of beauty, and hope and the dreams for a better world.
Thank you for giving the world a time to reflect on the deeper and higher meanings of life.Gassho,Jon Neiss
Union, NJ
USA
Dear Yoko -
Each year, we remember. We never forget. We exchange stories of past rememberances. Just now, my husband retold the time when he quietly walked away from a televised NFL game that he was watching with his father, so that he could remember John beside the quiet lake behind their home. Tears flowed down Spencer's face as he watched the geese and ducks on the water. Minutes later, his father appeared and stood beside his son in quiet contemplation. Not a word was spoken between them, but a stronger bond was had that Sunday afternoon in 1980. A bond that may never have been strengthened if you had not asked the world to do this in honor of John on that day.Years go by, and we now have a generation of people who were born after that day, unaware of the significance of John's untimely death. You are doing so much to educate the world about peace and love. Thank you Yoko, for helping us to remember. May we never forget. May we always have hope, peace and love in our lives.
With deepest regards,Tammy and Spencer Botzum
Barberton Ohio
thanks for youre e-mail will be thinking of john and you tonight..he will be proud to know that you are keeping his dreams alive..peace to you and love... therese
Hello Yoko and thank you for doing this (again) at a time when we as a people so desperately need to remember what we really need and what we're here for.
What I did... I printed out the 'War Is Over' sign and posted it in my car, then I played 'Imagine' about 10 times, said a little prayer and shared your message with my friends. My 18 year old daughter said that she wished that she had been alive when John was, but she really feels that he, and the message that you two shared, will be a big part of her life always.
Dana
Dear YokoOn the 27th anniversary of John's death, I watched the video and read your message. I cried and then sent a link to the Imagine Peace website to everyone in my address book. Maybe if they watch it, someone will get the message. Please can you leave the War Is Over video up for longer than just today, so that more people can get to see it.Lots of love to you and Sean,Mark in the south of England XXXX
Hello Yoko,
Thank you for the War Is Over reminder.On this very special day when your John sailed away, my John and I are
reminded of why we do what we do. For love and for peace.Love,
Moriah Whoolilurie
MoJoW and the Vibration Army
www.vibrationarmy.com
Sending love and peace into the world, one day at a time, one drive at a time, in Tucson, Arizona. My ride has been painted this way since the spring of 2005. The 4th side, not pictured, says 'Peace on Earth / Paz par el mundo.'
When Bush in our names (shame on him) invaded Iraq in 2003, I couldn't bear to say 'no war' or anything that started with a negative. So, I took some white shoe polish and painted peace signs on the windows of my old gray van, and thought -- what am I for? (not what am I against) -- and so I surrounded the peace signs with the words 'Peace on Earth.' A friend and I collaborated on the current version (now a little peeled off and not so brilliantly colored) a couple of years later, and it is a joy to drive it through the world, a mobile billboard for our Buddha-nature.
People wave at me, give me peace signs, leave sweet little notes on my van when I'm out and about, take pictures of each other in front of it (I'm a tourist attraction!), and share their stories and aspirations with me in parking lots. One kind soul even left me flowers.
For 40 years, I've been wearing a peace sign, marching, praying, and working to change the war/greed/violence mindset, and though I'm sad that this work is still necessary, I'm so grateful to know that we are still out here, more of us all the time, doing our little bits (and our bigger bits -- thank you, Yoko) to shift the situation(s).
John, imperfect bodhisattva, you continue to inspire me, and I am grateful for your legacy. You are a dreamer, and you're not the only one. Peace, love, blessings, blaze mason, Tucson, AZ, USA
I just finished this song. I am a lifelong fan of John. I dedicate this song to him. I am going toboganning and then swimming at the YMCA with my daughter and her friends. This is not a celebratory day. But my life has been made incredibly poignant on the realization Johns life was taken from us on this day. My prayer is for Yoko who must feel the loss most. I am the same age as John would have been today... and I almost lost my life and had to have a triple bypass operation last December... so I know John would be there on the toboggan with us and in the Y pool. Because of the Beatles and Buddy Holly I have become a composer. John put this music in us. I wish I could sing it to Yoko.
John Jacobson
Let the Day In J
by John Paul Jacobson (Socan)
Open your eyes... Let the Day in
You'll be surprised once you begin
just open your eyes...
and Let the Day In!
Open your heart... see what's inside
It's here you must start... and we're all on your side
when you open your heart...
you Let the Day in!
Open your hands... and let this World go
It will return... much smarter you know
when you open your hands
you Let the Day in!
... Bridge...
I do believe its coming 'round
standin' here on common ground!
... Instrumental Solo...
Open your eyes... Let the Day in
You'll be surprised once you begin
just open your eyes...
and Let the Day In!
I am writing to share what I did to on December 8th, or a few hours before December 8th.. I host a radio show called Vintage Rock and last night I changed the setup of my show and made the show a celebration of John's life. I told my listeners that we can't forget what John was working for and that Peace is something we need to believe in and work to achieve. I had listeners call in and share their memories or stories that they had of John. I got to hear many amazing things last night, and I will never forget the sense of community I felt, even though I was only talking on the phone with these people. I played some of my favorite John Lennon songs and requests from my listeners. It really was such a special night, and John Lennon was there in our hearts. It made me realize that he will never really die, because he's living inside so many people's hearts and souls.
I'm only 22 years old and sometimes people don't understand why I'm so into John Lennon, and the music of his time, but I don't think it has anything to do with age or time. I believe that it has to do with what your heart tells you, how it responds when you hear or song or learn about what John did for the good of the community and his unstoppable drive for Peace. Without even knowing it John Lennon helped save my life. I was in a horrible spot in my life and I could not see a way out, then Imagine came on the radio, Imagine has been my favorite song since I was an infant, it was a wake up call. There is so much out there that needs to be done to make this dream that John had for the world, and that I have had for the world since childhood, come true. I had found a purpose. I want to thank you John for everything you have given me, the inspiration and wonder that you have filled my spirit with. I don't think anyone will ever know what you truly did for me. I hope that tonight everyone will listen to Imagine and 11:15 because I know that I will be doing that and sharing it with anyone who will listen. I love you John Lennon, I will never know how to thank you enough.
Peace and Love,
Kate Morgan
I actually didn't do anything so far (but it's not quite noon! ). But my father did. We have been having various feuds in my family since the mid-90s. My parents are in failing health, and all my dad really wanted for Christmas was peace in our family, particularly for Christmas. One of the biggest sticking points was my sister, who didn't want to budge off her position. Dad called me today to tell me that he had my sister come over for a big discussion, and she said she would be there for Christmas and would try to 'behave' herself. This is a huge, HUGE, breakthrough. I know it's just a small thing, but peace in one family can spread to peace in all families. It just occurred to me that it is December 8, and so it is appropriate to finally have peace, even in a small way, on this day of all days.
Thanks for all you do to promote peace in the world ... hope our little pocket of peace can expand. Best to you and yours.
Donna
Thanks for your email Yoko
I told my family about it an hour or so before the time.
My 13 year old son went to his room to bring the CD with Imagine on it and we played it together at 11:15.
We just listened. Then I thanked him and said that there was nothing more
important than peace and so many ways that peace can be lost - we have to keep standing for peace. He agreed, and said that I did not need to thank him - he had wanted to do it.
He is the next generation and he stands for peace and knows that John is one of many who has done so before him - including his father and mother.
Thank you, Yoko, for this opportunity.
Love and Peace
Stan, Annemaree, Patrick and Nicholas Rosenthal
Dear Yoko, Today I am spending time quietly at home playing John's music
and imagining peace. I am surrounded by many, many framed lithographs
from you and John and just recently purchased the sepia tone of you both
kissing. We lost so much that day twenty-seven years ago but you and
the boys lost so much more. Thank you Yoko for keeping us in the loop
so to speak and for sharing your memories. We love you! Cathy in
Tucson, Arizona
Dear, dear Yoko,
This morning, I made a sign:
IMAGINE
YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER.
BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE... ...
JOHN LENNON
Then I taped my sign to the rear window of my car.
I also reminded my sons of the meaning of our remembrances today. I am honored to be a woman raising sons on her own and being able to share your and John's vision of peace with them. This is how a movement is born. Every person can be the mother of this movement, the movement for peace.
I also lost the love of my life suddenly and without warning, 30 years ago. I still walk with him every day and I cry with you.
I love you!
Susan |
