Imagine a Wonderful World!

I heard two similar songs back to back this morning: John Lennon’s “Imagine,” and “What a Wonderful World” by Louis Armstrong. I liked them both.

“Imagine” is hopeful in a utopian way:

“Imagine there’s no heaven . . . no hell below us . . . above us only sky.”

“Imagine there’s no countries . . . nothing to kill or die for . . . and no religion too.”

“Imagine all the people living life in peace.”

“Imagine . . . a brotherhood of man . . . and the world will live as one.”

“Wonderful World” is evocative, existential:

“I see trees of green, red roses too.”

“I see skies of blue and clouds of white.”

“The colors of the rainbow . . . on the faces of people going by.”

“They’re really saying I love you.”

“And I think to myself what a wonderful world.”

While I liked them both, “Wonderful World” was my favorite. Why? We don’t have to imagine or hope for it. It’s all there, in its incredible beauty, all around us all the time.