I titled this blog with a line from the song, Imagine, by John Lennon. Although I was not alive when the song was released in 1971, I absolutely love it now.
Imagine there's no heaven
It's easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today
Imagine there's no countries
It isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people sharing all the world
You, you may say
I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one
I hope some day you'll join us
And the world will live as one
The words are not only beautiful, but they speak to me. Not only do I think of South Africa as "the most diverse place in the world", but also a land of opportunities. I bolded the main lines in the song that I think are the most relevant to South Africa. In my leadership class this semester, we have been learning about the importance of being present in the moment, and engaging in what is happening, and the first bolded line says, "Imagine all the people living for today." According to my MacBook Pro dictionary, to "imagine" is to form a mental picture or concept of, or to believe something untrue or unreal to exist or be so. After I listen to this line of the song, I picture people of all skin colors, ethnic groups, and backgrounds dancing in the rain, with a rainbow on the horizon. This mental picture literally includes different types of people living in the moment, but figuratively the rainbow after the storm represents the victory of mankind when "the world will live as one."
I'm traveling to Cape Town, South Africa because I want to explore a new culture, to meet new people, and to see the power of reconciliation in a country that was once "separated." In the song, John Lennon sings, "Imagine all the people sharing all the world", but the world will never be shared if it is "separated" or disconnected. So often in our American culture we have all the material things in the world, and access to the best education systems and healthcare, but yet individuals in our society feel as though "something is missing." I think we get so caught up in our own environment, that we forget to share who we are with others, and ultimately feel disconnected to one another. The sad thing is that the people of South Africa experienced separation by race and managed to forgive one another(for the most part), but the people in America experience separation among their own families and friends, and sometimes struggle to practice forgiveness.
I am ready to be a part of the culture in South Africa, and I cannot wait to see what is in store for our blessed group in the next month!
If I could write one line with the Imagine theme, it would be this:
Imagine a world with freedom, compassion, love and forgiveness as the guiding principles <3
What would your line be?
p7gysy
So awesome that you are discovering John Lennon. He truly believed that peace and harmony could be shared by everyone, as his lyrics portray this. He was a remarkable person and the values he believed in are universal. I remember the day he was killed but didn't realize the loss until several years later.
k