“Today would have been John Lennon’s 76th birthday.

The Beatles star, who was born in Liverpool on October 9, 1940, had his life tragically cut short when he was shot dead in Manhattan, aged 40.

He penned more than 100 songs and together with the Beatles, sold more than 600 million albums worldwide.

Today, his legend lives on and so do his words. Here are some of his most thoughtful, touching and right-on quotes, that are all the more poignant since his passing.”

20 Inspiring John Lennon Quotes On Life 

1. We’ve got this gift of love, but love is like a precious plant. You can’t just accept it and leave it in the cupboard or just think it’s going to get on by itself. You’ve got to keep watering it. You’ve got to really look after it and nurture it.

2. Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us, and the world will be as one.

3. Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.

4. Love is the answer, and you know that for sure; Love is a flower, you’ve got to let it grow.

5. Love is the flower you’ve got to let grow.

6. Music is everybody’s possession. It’s only publishers who think that people own it.

7. I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It’s just that the translations have gone wrong.

8. When you’re drowning, you don’t say ‘I would be incredibly pleased if someone would have the foresight to notice me drowning and come and help me,’ you just scream.

9. Rituals are important. Nowadays it’s hip not to be married. I’m not interested in being hip.

10. Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.

11. As usual, there is a great woman behind every idiot.

12. Guilt for being rich, and guilt thinking that perhaps love and peace isn’t enough and you have to go and get shot or something.

13. I’m not going to change the way I look or the way I feel to conform to anything. I’ve always been a freak. So I’ve been a freak all my life and I have to live with that, you know. I’m one of those people.

14. Everybody loves you when you’re six foot in the ground.

15. If someone thinks that love and peace is a cliche that must have been left behind in the Sixties, that’s his problem. Love and peace are eternal.

16. If everyone demanded peace instead of another television set, then there’d be peace.

17. Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.

18. All you need is love.

19. The more I see the less I know for sure.

20. You don’t need anybody to tell you who you are or what you are. You are what you are!