A post flashing past in my Facebook feed by someone who was at Goddard College, in Plainfield, Vermont, just as I was at that moment, reminded me. An aftershock rippled through me, 40 years later.
I remember that day, when I too was at Goddard. I remember exactly how I found out that John Lennon was shot. Exactly what was said. Exactly where I was and how I felt and what happened afterward.
I also remember another, earlier, day at Goddard. One of my first days there. Dancing through the beautiful Vermont woods, on a halcyon day in September, with my best friend, and fellow Beatlefreak, Lisa. We were singing. Skipping and dancing down the dirt path. Singing at the top of our lungs. Two September babies, born ten days apart in the same year. Both 17, about to turn 18.
"WELL SHE WAS JUST 17, YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN, AND THE WAY SHE LOOKED WAS WAY BEYOND COMPARE! OH I'LL NEVER DANCE WITH ANOTHER, OOOOOOOO, SINCE I SAW HER STANDING THERE!"
Today, I'm remembering John Lennon, and giving thanks for him, the fab four, the magic of the Beatles and that halcyon day, many Septembers ago now, which was a year and 3 months before the December day exactly 40 years ago that took John from this world. I choose to focus on the day we danced through the forest, singing, SHOUTING this song at the top of our lungs. I choose to focus on the magic...
One, two, three, FOUR!
