remembering john lennon.

a year ago today, i was in new york.

and a sketchy-as-all-hell subway ride had dropped us out in front of the dakota apartments.

weeks before, when i found out we would be in new york on the anniversary of john lennon's death, i made the boys promise that we would go to the apartments in remembrance of him - celebrating his life with the other people who would surely be doing the same. 

so i was a little stunned when the only thing i saw outside of the dakota was a police car.

"any of the lennon hippies giving you trouble?" someone asked the officer.

"nope. we're making sure they're keeping their distance" he replied.

we walked around the perimeter of the apartments, hoping to find some candles or anything, but there was nothing.
then, off in the distance we heard a group of voices singing "strawberry fields."

it was the most ironic thing, to cross the street into central park and to the strawberry fields memorial, as the crowd sang that song.

we found ourselves in a group of the most diverse individuals. homeless men, families with children, hippies with cigarettes in their mouths, old ladies, punk teenagers, some preppy twenty-somethings, and us. 

and at the time of lennon's death there was a moment of silence. 

and people put peace signs in the air above their heads.

and after a few minutes, this random assortment of people started singing 'imagine' together.

and it sounded pretty terrible.

but it felt pretty amazing.

it will forever be one of my favorite memories.

so glad that john's spirit lives on in so many people and in his amazing music.

thinking of him today.