25 years later....

I recall a buddy of mine back in 7th and 8th grade by the name of Eric Falstrom who, by the by, has become a successful multimedia star. On December 8 of 1982, I happened to notice that Eric was not in attendance at Sycamore Junior High. The next day, in (mandatory) shop class, I inquired as to his conspicuous and apparently healthy absence. He stated that he always takes that particular day off for reflection on the loss of John Lennon. It was his mourning, at the age of 11 or 12, that showed me just how deeply Lennon's death touched the world.
Eric's dedication and memorialization of this man prompted me to investigate the nature of the world's love for him.
I quickly found that, like so many millions then and since, John Lennon's music and life and passion and resolve spoke directly to so much of what I felt and experienced that I, too, fell in love with the legend.
I regret that I didn't know John Lennon better when he was alive, but I am thankful to have had my life touched so profoundly by the works and spirit of such an inspiring soul.
Thank you John, your legacy continues to change lives.