 |
| By Ebony Chan |
All things begin in the imagination. “You’ve got to have a dream to have a dream come true” go the lyrics of one old song from the musical “South Pacific.” The only way to create a new and better world for the future is to imagine it NOW.
John Lennon promoted this idea with his famous song: “Imagine.” Some people assume Lennon was promoting a Godless world because he imagined a life without heaven or religions. His words, “Imagine all the people living for today” imply that we would live in peace and harmony with one another, our hearts full of love and compassion RIGHT NOW, instead of basing our actions on the requirements of a future heaven and the threat of a future hell. (Even Jesus said the kingdom of heaven is among us - now - not up above the sky!) And there would be no religion, because so many wars have been fought over religious differences!
In the new world, as I imagine it, people would have faith in the divine spirit that connects us all. We would honor and respect the differences between people. We would love and honor every part of Creation, recognizing the connection and oneness of everything. This would not be a Godless world – it would be a God-full world!
In the world I imagine there will be an abundance of delicious and natural food available for every single person. Perhaps we’ll just go out and pick fruit straight from the trees and vegetables from the community gardens that will flourish in every village and town. We won’t need money because each person will freely give of his or her talents and abilities, and one will not be deemed more valuable than another. Unlike this world where entertainers are valued above everyone else, musicians and actors will perform for the love of their art and their audiences. There will be no violence in any kind of entertainment – in fact, no violence in the world. The very idea will be considered barbaric and antiquated. Better yet, we won’t even remember that violence ever existed!
I love Lennon’s line: “You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.” I’m a dreamer, too! Are you? I would love it if readers would add to my imaginings. Please comment: What do you imagine for the new world? Let your imagination go wild – with beauty, color, joy, and peace!
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 may say 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
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 may say I'm a dreamer
But I'm not the only one
I hope someday you'll join us
And the world will live as one
