From alt.culture.us.1970s, reprinted with Doug's permission.



Within You Without You


"We were talking - about the space between us all
And the people - who hide themselves behind a wall of illusion
Never glimpse the truth - then it's far too late - when they pass away
We were talking - about the love we all could share - when we find it
To try our best to hold it there - with our love
With our love - we could save the world - if they only knew
Try to realise it's all within yourself no-one else can make you change
And to see you're really only very small,
and life flows on within you and without you.
We were talking - about the love that's gone so cold and the people,
Who gain the world and lose their soul - they don't know -
they can't see - are you one of them?
When you've seen beyond yourself -
then you may find, peace of mind, is waiting there -
And the time will come when you see we're all one,
and life flows on within you and without you."

George Harrison


George has shuffled off this mortal coil and he will be greatly missed. When asked recently what it felt like to be a seventeen year-old member of The Beatles, George said "One day I was seventeen and suddenly I'm fifty-seven. All the years in between went so fast."


That is the way of life. In one way, this last abominable September seems lifetimes ago. Paradoxically, in other ways I still feel like I'm sixteen, as I was when I first heard "My Sweet Lord" thirty years ago this very same month. Where did all those years go? Did I make good use of them? My love has never gone cold, I've not gained the world, and I'm reasonably certain my soul is intact. That's certainly better than many of my peers have done, sadly. I've always realized that I'm really only very small and life goes on within me and without me. I thank you for that, George. You first opened me up to that way of thinking. I hope we both passed The Audition.


When I heard the news today (oh boy,) my first instinct was to reach for "Best of Dark Horse 1976-1989." Two things struck me immediately: This was the first thing George ever did that I purchased on compact disc. It seemed like I just bought it and "Cloud Nine" yesterday. Has it really been over twelve years ago already, and fourteen for "Cloud Nine" ?


The second thing I noticed was that George dedicated the Best of 'Album' to "Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, Parents For Safe Food, The Traveling Wilburys, Gordon Murray, and Anyone Interested In Saving Our Planet." I smiled. What a Georgelike thing to do. God Bless you, George. I pause for another short meditation and prayer.


George was a Hari Krishna, a passive, peaceful sort of soul mostly known for their bothering businesspeople at airports. There's much more to them than that. They know that you don't take the riches you hoard in this life into the next one with you. There is really no better place to hang out than airports with a mindset like that. If you can't get any contribution from the Greedy Swine, at least you have the satisfaction of knowing that you may have made the ungiving Pig feel guilty for a nanosecond when you attempted to hand him/her/it a flower after they pushed you out of the way. Maybe a few of the swine have changed for the better, even if only momentarily.


George, I know this life was painful for you at the end. I know you were in great pain. I'm sure you handled the physical pain admirably. It's the Psychic Pain of a callous, self-centered world that seems intent on bringing about destruction to All Living Things that was the true Killer. We all share in that pain with you. Thank God you've found relief from all that rot. I'm sure you've found a Higher Plane of Existence now than you ever had in the old Crackerbox Palace.


George, you had wealth in this life, but I'm sure that you've amassed a much greater and more durable wealth in the Hereafter. Long may you run. And say hello to John for me. Life is here one second and then gone, so, relatively speaking, I'm sure I'll be seeing you very shortly. And your tireless and unselfish efforts were not wasted on me. Thank you for making me a better part of the Whole. Send a few of those Mighty Atoms of Love this way. We sure could use them.


Love,
Doug
11/30/01


Ban Depleted Uranium Weaponry
http://www.petitiononline.com/3d4b/petition.html
George would have wanted it that way.




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