If I had a time machine, my first stop would be Woodstock.

Considered the greatest music festival of all times, I wish I could shout : "I was there".

How I envy those blessed four hundred thousand souls that flocked to that lost rural town of Bethel, New York, that summer of nineteen sixty-nine.

Videos of that historic 3-day event are available on the internet and just watching them gives me goosebumps.

Often, I close my eyes and, as I listen to the music belting, I pretend to be sitting amongst that ocean of people;

America's youth; whites, blacks, who have all come to celebrate their love for music; I felt my heart rejoice at the thought of being united in harmony, living as one big family.

Swami Satchidananda made the opening speech; called us all Brothers and Sisters and praised the power of music. He said its energy and sound are much greater than any other power in this world.

He invited us to find love and peace within ourselves; said we had the power to change our troubled world; then together we pitched a chant and our voices became one.

Spirits were high and, despite a heavy midnight rainfall, which formed a sea of mud, word spread that people were still arriving in droves.

The first artist that made an impression on me was Latino Santana; his closing piece literally blew me away .. I feared his guitar would ignite, looked as if he was possessed; he delivered a roller coaster experience that sent chills down my spine.

A sweat-drenched Joe Cocker, whose sandpaper voice I was acquainted with, offered Sunday afternoon a soulful version of the Beatle's hit "With a Little Help from my Friends ".

Cocker sang from the heart and we were emotionally raptured by this raw, down to earth performance.

Stormy weather returned causing more delays but the rain did not drown our enthusiasm; the Festival continued into Monday with star Jimi Hendrix, whose closing performance included his personal version of our cherished anthem, which clearly reflected the sense of unity we all experienced here at Woodstock.