John Lennon wrote the song All You Need Is Love in 1967, which was released as a single by The Beatles and later becoming a classic. Throughout his life, Lennon was an advocate for peace and love — yet this advocacy was often accompanied by turbulent relationships, drug use, soaring fame, and bursts of extraordinary creativity. He understood that love is foundational to a peaceful and equitable existence for all. His later song Imagine became another anthem of love, equality, peace, and interconnectedness. Yet few people, comparatively speaking, consistently let love inform their actions.
Lennon was beloved by millions, and the world mourned when he was shot and killed in New York City on December 8, 1980. In a strange way, his influence as a champion of love was amplified after his death. The world lost a beacon of love that day — but love continues in the hearts and minds of those who admired him. Love is infinite; it can be amplified or suppressed.
We can’t all be like John Lennon and touch millions of lives. But we can draw inspiration from his devotion to love and peace.
How do each of us become a force for love in our own life?
There’s a difference between sentimental, emotional, or conditional love — often reserved for those with whom we form relationships — and the kind I’m referring to: unconditional love expressed through genuine actions, without expectation of return. This love is inclusive, non-judgmental, generous, respectful, and caring. It’s rooted in a deep understanding of the interconnectedness of all life.
When this interconnectedness is truly seen and valued, we embody a love that embraces our reality and everything in it as one indivisible whole — the source from which we all originate. Some call it God, Spirit, Soul, or the Universe — or by many other names. This is what Imagine was about — few truly understood it.
The heart is the origin point from which love is transmitted through the human experience.
Each of us has a heart, which is a transmitter of love. We are equal in that shared trait — we are human. The heart is a bridge, or portal, to that original source. Though commonly seen merely as a pump, I’m referring to the energetic heart — the seat of the soul, described by ancient cultures, religions, tribes, wisdom traditions, and spiritual leaders. This same energetic heart has been studied and validated for over 30 years at the HeartMath Institute in California and other organizations.
The heart is a portal through which love flows in and out of us, manifesting as human behaviors informed by the six heart virtues: appreciation, compassion, forgiveness, humility, understanding, and valor (or courage).
Each virtue, genuinely expressed or received, is a component of love. When all six are expressed in harmony, they form a symphony — an embodiment of unconditional or divine love. This expression is a powerful energy. It touches others whether they understand it or not. To express a heart virtue is to be the source of love and share it with the world. We become the bringer of love.
Overlaps
Let me share an example of how the virtues can apply to simple daily experiences.
The world is in a state of turbulence and uncertainty, and it can be challenging to cope with the constant stream of fear-amplifying news.
In life, we are constantly meeting something new — moment by moment. Something is always happening now, the only moment that truly exists. We cannot inhabit the future or the past, except in our imagination. There is only now, and what we experience now.
As we live each moment, we can become aware of overlaps — where love and fear, allowance and resistance, blessing and judgment, light and darkness, truth and deception meet. These overlaps are transformational opportunities to choose love.
The seemingly mundane moments of everyday life can become profound when we consciously connect with the highest vibration of love — for ourselves and those around us.
For example, I was recently at the dentist. My dentist is not what I would call gentle or patient. As he worked, he made sharp, impatient comments to his assistant, whom he felt wasn’t acting quickly — or correctly — enough. I caught myself judging him and feeling compassion for the assistant. Then I realized: this was a moment of overlap. I could choose to be the bringer of love.
It began within me — in my heart. I consciously emanated compassion toward both the assistant and the dentist, without judgment or desire to change the situation. My mood shifted. I relaxed and simply allowed things to be as they were. I realized my only purpose in that moment was to be the bringer of love. The virtues of understanding, humility, forgiveness, and valor flowed through and into the room.
When the dentist finally finished, I sensed that the assistant was quiet, perhaps self-conscious. As I was leaving, I turned to her, our eyes met, and I said: “I’m not sure anyone likes coming to the dentist, but I appreciate that you made me feel comfortable and at ease. Thank you.” She looked at me with relief, and her lingering smile reflected genuine appreciation.
It was a small, seemingly inconsequential moment — but it was one where love entered the room, our hearts, and the world. A pebble dropped in the ocean of collective reality — rippling outward in ways I’ll never know. But it was energy blessed with love.
Look for these overlaps — points where life presents a choice between love and fear. Few experiences compare to the feeling of being the bringer of love — both for yourself and the world. This is soft power, and it is ours to use anytime.
Thank you for reading. I can be reached at: [email protected]