Happy Xmas, War is Over, Goodbye John

A little more than 29 years ago, on Dec. 8, 1980, John Lennon left us. I thought of him the other day when I was walking through a store and heard his song Happy Xmas/War is Over.

This is a song that when it came out in 1971 was branded as radical because it was written and sung by a notorious peace activist. Yet now, the song is heard every year at this time.

And that’s because it tells us of hope – about a world of peace, which is what the Xmas spirit is about, and also what a Low Density Lifestyle world is about. So now the song is a hymn that is heard every Xmas holiday season.

As well it should.

The only sad thing about the song is that it was written by a man who is no longer with us, a visionary who perceived what a Low Density Lifestyle world looked like, and articulated it very clearly.

Earlier in this series on what a Low Density Lifestyle world would look like, I told you about the work of Yoko Ono.  She has been someone who has worked tirelessly for peace, for the cultivation of the imagination, and for the integration of the two, originally with her husband John Lennon, and then by herself.

She has also kept the spirit of John alive. On the recent anniversary of his death, she wrote the following:

Affirmation for Planet Earth

Yoko Ono Lennon
December 8, 2009

On the anniversary of the passing of my husband, John Lennon,
I would like you to share an affirmation with me.
Think it, say it, with firm belief,
knowing that we are all one.

In the name of truth, peace and love:
Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Our planet is healthy and whole,
We, the people of Earth
See clearly, Hear clearly, Think clearly.
Make the right judgement, right decision and the right move
For the benefit of our planet and others.

We are now bathing in the light of Dawn,
Standing in the Heaven we have created together,
Sharing the Joy
With all Lives on Earth
And of the Universe,
As we are all one, united with infinite and eternal love.

For the highest good of all concerned, So be it.

With all my love,
yoko ono lennon

December 8, 2009

Tokyo, Japan

And two years ago, on Dec. 8, 2007, she wrote the following:

December 8, 2007
by Yoko Ono Lennon

I miss you, John.

27 years later, I still wish I could turn back the clock to the Summer of 1980.

I remember everything – sharing our morning coffee, walking in the park
together on a beautiful day, and seeing your hand stretched to mine –
holding it, reassuring me that I shouldn’t worry about anything because
our life was good.

I had no idea that life was about to teach me the toughest lesson of all.

I learned the intense pain of losing a loved one suddenly, without
warning, and without having the time for a final hug and the chance to
say, “I love you,” for the last time. The pain and shock of that sudden
loss is with me every moment of every day.

When I touched John’s side of our bed on the night of December 8th,
1980, I realized that it was still warm. That moment has haunted me for
the past 27 years – and will stay with me forever.

Even harder for me is watching what was taken away from our beautiful boy,
Sean.

He lives in silent anger over not having his Dad, whom he loved so much,
around to share his life with. I know we are not alone. Our pain is one
shared by many other families who are suffering as the victims of
senseless violence. This pain has to stop.

Let’s not waste the lives of those we have lost. Let’s, together, make
the world a place of love and joy and not a place of fear and anger.
This day of John’s passing has become more and more important for so
many people around the world as the day to remember his message of Peace
and Love and to do what each of us can to work on healing this planet we
cherish.

Let’s: Think Peace, Act Peace, and Spread Peace.
John worked for it all his life.
He said, “There’s no problems, only solutions.”

Remember, we are all together.
We can do it, we must.
I love you!

yoko

Yoko Ono Lennon
8 December 2007

Below, there are a series of videos just to show how popular John Lennon’s song has become. The first video is of Celine Dion singing the song; then Melissa Etheridge; then Tom Jones singing Happy Xmas at a concert at the Vatican; then the Three Tenors – Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras – singing it in Vienna; and finally U2 singing an acoustic version in 1988 on TV on The Late, Late Show.