I LOVE Ringo Starr! And, we had a moment July 3, 2006. I was relishing the gift of a single concert ticket to see one of the remaining Beatles, an actual member of the Fab-Four, Ringo Starr… and, dear brothers and sisters of rock… I was sitting on the FRONT ROW! Snap!
I’m a Beatles fan, Magical Mystery tour and beyond. You know, ”Dear Prudence”, “I Am The Walrus”, “Across the Universe”. ”It Don’t Come Easy” is probably my fave of Ringo’s post-Beatles and of those he wrote with the band - - ”With a Little Help From My Friends” & “Yellow Submarine” have lived in my heart from childhood.
During the concert Ringo was chatting to the crowd, working his way to the front of the stage and announced he was celebrating his birthday that week. I said to myself… “Myself, you are on the FRONT ROW! Give him something!!” All I had on me to spare the iconic, heartful rock legend was one of my own designs on a belt buckle… 
It was my “Happiness” buckle. I grabbed for my jeans and ripped that buckle right off my belt strap. My feet took me straight to the stage, and I placed the buckle right in front of his Ringo Starr’s toes… well, as far in as I could reach… I looked up and there he was so I said ”Happy Birthday, Ringo!” I promise you, he was so close - Ringo was RIGHT THERE! He leaned over to pick up my offering & I said “I MADE IT!”…. And, In his perfect Liverpool dialect Ringo Starr said to me - on his microphone: “You made it, love?!” (and he threw me a peace sign!)
When he got back to his drums -God as my witness- he looked right at me and threw me another set of his air-hovering fingers perched in that perfect peace w/ a distinct head nod, a half smile, and held my gaze for what must have been (like omgosh) 3 seconds. The person next to me hit my arm and I returned my fully outstretched arm with my best finger positioning in a full-tilt yet rock-steady peace sign - right back at you, Ringo, baby! I love Ringo with all my heart for who he is and for that briefly shared moment!!!
It’s common knowledge Ringo is all about throwing… what I call… “peace fingers”. In a tribute to the experience and to Ringo, I created ”Peace In Me” with ‘peace fingers’. It evolved to take the shape as a cool t-shirt and a buckle design. 
In my heart our ‘good old’ (retired design) Happiness buckle holds a special spot for my historic moment with a Beatle, which in my little life, meant a lot more to me than Ringo may ever know. Peace and love, Ringo!
*As an aside, to my full embarassment, (and anyone who sells their own wares may relate), the buckle that I put on stage for Ringo Starr had my price tag still stuck on the back. OH, Dear Prudence!!
*Of special note, during Chicago Market a passerby stopped and looked at our “Peace In Me” buckle and said, “Huh, looks just like something you might see on the cover of an old Beatles album!” And, to this day, that compliment ranks among the greatest ever received from a complete stranger.
“Knowing that love is to share….” XO, Ringo… Peace & Love… Jo Dee
