logansrogue | Dear John

Dear John Lennon,

Sorry this post is late. It was my sisters birthday party yesterday, so I was distracted with helping Cati and Tina celebrate.

So, it's 70 years since you've been born, and 30 since we lost you. To say I miss you would be an understatement. I often think about what you would have said about things today - the internet, the way the music industry has become so industrialised and lifeless, global warming, the hatred that's still virulent in humankind's behaviour, all that jazz. There was so much still left to do in your life, so much left to say.

I remember my years of obsession about the Beatles, when I was a wee teen. I'd memorise the lyrics to the songs, I'd remember the trajectory of the band's career by the big things that happened with them. For me, then, the Beatles, and you, could do no wrong. And then I grew up, found other music, and found feminism (properly). Thing is, despite all I discovered, and despite the fact that you were a man with deep anger that would manifest in frankly bastardly behaviour, there was still so much about you that was good and that the world needed. You were a man that realised you were wrong, and you weren't afraid to tell the world to get its shit together and make the change too.

That had a huge effect on my personal development. There were two people I looked up to in my mission to be a pacifist as a teen - Gandhi, and you. I was a teen, I wasn't much on variety, what can I say? But I listened to "Give Peace A Chance" and your other activist songs. It was a great starting point. It's where I figured out that I didn't want to world to remain as it is, that I wanted the world to change.

I think that was the biggest gift you gave to the world - the realisation that things needed to change. Whatever your problematic past, and the other faults that made you human, that legacy took seed and grew. People don't forget you, your message just gets stronger. I hope more people listen to it.

Above all, I wish you had have had the chance to grow old, to live a life with your beloved Yoko, or hell, even divorce her, whatever. You should have been able to live. You should be here now, blowing out a fuckload of candles. We miss you, you grumpy, brilliant, crazy fucker.

All we have now is your memory and your legacy. We treasure it, and tend the new garden lovingly.

Love,
Nancy.
PS - I named my cat after all the Beatles, but his first name is Lennon. Like you, he's an arsehole Libran who is absolutely bigger than life and incapable of being ignored. :)