Imagine This

I am happily awash in all the attention being given today on what would have been John Lennon's 70th birthday.  To my teenage mind he was the edgy, dangerous Beatle.  When my girlfriends and I would pretend we were the Fab Four(yes, you read that correctly) during grade school recess, John was always second choice after Paul. Everyone wanted to be the b-e-l-o-v-e-d Paul, so I often found myself in a runner up role. I can only recall two things we did as the femme version of those Liverpool blokes - we sang their songs at the top of our lungs in the schoolyard and we ran around, being chased by other friends, as our homage to the many chase scenes in both Beatles movies, "A Hard Day's Night" and "Help!'  After all, if we couldn't wildly pursue those mop heads in real life, our adolescent fantasies would have to suffice.  I love these memories for their unblemished, narcissistic awkwardness.  We felt so free. 

And while I am feeling free I may as well get it all out there - I recall happily dancing solo while listening to Beatles songs in my basement holding a sign, " I love (enter the Beatle name)" depending on who was the musical flavor of the day for me. 

Today's Google doodle is, as usual, perfectly executed with a pencil drawing of the long-haired John.  Included is a short video of more pencil drawings of flowers, butterflies, pinwheels and other things flowing which conclude in the form of his 'google-ized' portrait. Google gets it right every time.  

"CBS Sunday Morning," in its October 3, 2010 edition, provided a current look at John's son, Julian and his premiere photography exhibit in New York City's Morrison Hotel Gallery which closed on 10/7.  In the piece, 47 year old Julian comes across as an appreciative,  genuine fellow who has forged a relationship with his equally famous half-brother, Sean.  I watched as Julian answered all the regular questions about how his father's life has affected his and how he is at peace with his musical pedigree.  The report's most touching sight, however, was not one of Julian's photographs hanging on the gallery's perimeter but a live image within the gallery's four walls. There was another notable foursome and seeing it pierced my heart. Julian, Sean and their mothers, Cynthia and Yoko, came together and linked arms. A first. Recalling the reported acrimony that John's romantic relationships seemingly caused, the 'mothers and sons' image contained immeasurable healing. 

Another fun fact is that today is Sean Lennon's birthday - his 35th.
He was born on his famous father's 35th birthday.
Instant karma.