ONE LOVE

I just saw the documentary on Bob Marley, titled Marley, and if you haven’t seen it- you must (http://bobmarley.com/). It’s in select theatres but you can also download it on iTunes or get in On Demand. What a message of simply love and peace! By the end of the film I was balling my eyes out at the thought of a world where all people loved each other as displayed in the film by Marley and through his music. Also compelling was the fact that Marley was 36 years old when he passed in 1981 but had totally grasped the concept of what LIFE was about. One part in particular that stuck out to me was when someone asked Marley if he was rich. Marley said “Rich? What do you mean?” Then the interviewer says, “you know, do you have a lot of possessions and money?” Marley goes “That is what makes you rich? Life and people is what makes me rich.”

If you’ve only listened to one of Marley’s songs, the message of unity and peace is underscored. I was completely overwhelmed when they showed Marley being summoned from living in London to return to Jamaica in 1978 in response to the two dueling political street gangs that had caused complete mayhem throughout Jamaica and the leaders wanted Marley to headline a peace summit and One Love peace concert. During which Marley called the two leaders on stage to reunite publically, in peace, holding hands. (Now, what they didn’t show is how this peace did or did not continue after the concert, but that is homework for me.) Throughout, Marley noted that his purpose was for the people; just beautiful and very tear-worthy. 

Among my favorite Marley songs is “One Love” which I believe is a component of Marley’s main message and through these past two years post-injury “Get up, Stand up” (Pun intended! ) aids me through those really tough days and conversations and interactions.

One Love
One love, one heart
Let’s get together and feel all right
Hear the children crying (One love)
Hear the children crying (One heart)
Sayin’, “Give thanks and praise to the Lord and I will feel all right.”
Sayin’, “Let’s get together and feel all right.”
Let them all pass all their dirty remarks (One love)
There is one question I’d really love to ask (One heart)
Is there a place for the hopeless sinner
Who has hurt all mankind just to save his own?
Believe me
One love, one heart
Let’s get together and feel all right
As it was in the beginning (One love)
So shall it be in the end (One heart)

Let’s get together to fight this Holy Armageddon (One love)
So when the Man comes there will be no, no doom (One song)
Have pity on those whose chances grow thinner
There ain’t no hiding place from the Father of Creation…

Get up, Stand up

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight
Preacher man don’t tell me
Heaven is under the earth
I know you don’t know
What life is really worth
It’s not all that glitters is gold
Half the story has never been told
So now you see the light
Stand up for your rights
Most people think
Great good will come from the skies
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You would look for yours on earth
And now you’ve seen the light
You stand up for your rights…