Imagine...

I wonder how many of you are aware of Eva Cassidy? She is a singer extraordinaire, but her voice is more finesse than flash...more exquisite than exciting. If you are one who regularly pushes the mute button before you go a-blogging, I hope you will un-mute for a moment or two so you can listen to her right now on my playlist. I particularly like her version of John Lennon's song, "Imagine." I also particularly like John's song, itself:

Imagine there's no Heaven

It's easy if you try

No hell below us

Above us only sky

Imagine there's no countries

It isn't hard to do

Nothing to kill or die for

And no religion too

I like his song despite the fact that portions of the first and second verses (above) don't apply to me. To be honest, I wouldn't want to imagine there being no heaven, and the idea of living on earth without religion or even country doesn't much appeal to me, either. But the ability to let go of ideological differences and simply enjoy the spirit of Lennon's lyric has always been mine, because I absolutely can relate to his basic premise. I love the intent...a brotherhood of man...a world that lives as one, but I believe that the key to that dream's fruition lies in the heart...that it is intrinsic rather than extrinsic. I think the world can be shared by those who choose to embrace and those who prefer not to embrace religion, and I believe countries have the potential to honor and understand one another. I also believe that abolishing boundaries and belief systems would not repair the damage we see in the world today. The real changes men and women need to make must come from within; and for me, a true brotherhood of man would respect diversity and stretch itself to allow distinctions of belief and nationality. I even like the idea of possessions, so they can be shared willingly. I want differences, so they can be overcome. In my imagined world, it is love, not homogeneity, that fulfills the dream. And it is lack of homogeneity that provides the greatest growth and sweetest victory in that fulfillment.

But I do love John's song, and I relate to it on every level of feeling. After all, we are both dreamers. Our blueprint may be different, but the dream we are dreaming is universal. He and I and so many others are reaching for the same ideal...And somehow, in my heart, that transcends our differences. Which is why I believe that it's perfectly okay to retain them.

You may say that I'm a dreamer

But I'm not the only one

I hope someday you'll join us

And the world will be as one

It's a good dream...the very best.

Let the transcending begin! (And don't you love Eva Cassidy?)

=)