Yoko’s Simple Message, Big Idea
Yoko Ono has chosen to mark the December 8th anniversary of John Lennon’s death with a very public plea for healing.
In a full page advertisement in the New York Times (Sunday, November 26), Ono thanks John’s fans for remembering the tragedy that took his life, and encourages all of us to send a message a those suffering in today’s world:
To the people who have lost loved ones without cause: forgive us for having been unable to stop the tragedy. We pray for the wounds to heal.
To the soldiers of all countries and of all centuries, who were maimed for life, or who lost their lives: forgive us for our misjudgments and what happened as a result of them.
To the civilians who were maimed, or killed, or who lost their family members: forgive us for having been unable to prevent it.
To the people who have been abused and tortured: forgive us for having allowed it to happen.
Know that your loss is our loss.
Know that the physical and mental abuse you have endured will have a lingering effect on our society, and the world.
Know that the burden is ours.As a widow of one who was killed by an act of violence, I don’t know if I am ready yet to forgive the one who pulled the trigger. I am sure all victims of violent crimes feel as I do. But healing is what is urgently needed now in the world.
Let’s heal the wounds together.
Every year, let’s make December 8th the day to ask for forgiveness from those who suffered the insufferable.
Let’s wish strongly that one day we will be able to say that we healed ourselves, and by healing ourselves, we healed the world.With deepest love,
Yoko Ono Lennon
New York City, 2006
Believe it or not, there was a time when John Lennon’s “Give Peace a Chance“ was considered ever so controversial. A simple song — a big idea.
Wouldn’t it be immensely sad if a widow asking to give healing a chance were in any way controversial today? This, too, is after all a simple message — a big idea.
Don’t you think?
- Bill Reichblum
