Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Michael Jackson's memorial

I have spent the last several hours watching the Michael Jackson memorial and the continueing coverage from in and around the Staples center where the public memorial was held as well as elsewhere like Forrest Lawn where a private service was held before the public service and the journey of the herse and the rest of the motorcade from the little chapel at the cemetary to the Staples center and now all the reactions and wonderings of where and when MJ will be buried.

I cried several times during the memorial service. It was filled with
touching stories and really moving performances. When the song Will
You Be There?" started the tears really started flowing. Jennifer Hudson sang it but the spoken part at the end was the hardest to hear
because it was Michael Jackson's own recording of it with his voice breaking with sorrow as he spoke those words and on a big screen above the stage they showed each line with a star field background as he spoke it.

Another time that made me cry was when MJ's brother Jermaine got up there and sang another song I've always loved and was one of MJ's
favorite songs, a Charlie Chaplin song called "Smile". How difficult it must have been to sing at his brother's funeral. The lyrics of that song include:

Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...

If you smile
Through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile...

That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you just smile


Jermaine obviously had a difficult time with it and when he was finished singing it was clear he was crying as he hugged his siblings in the front row.

Usher also cried when he sang "Gone Too Soon" standing next to the gold casket that sat on the lower level right in front of the stage.

After "We Are The World" and "Heal The World" were performed by a stage full of people including a bunch of children and close friends and family a couple members of the family spoke including Jermaine and Marlon and then Michael Jackson's young daughter, Paris, spoke and I totally lost it. She spoke through tears "I just want to say...ever since I was born daddy has been the best father you could ever imagine...and I just wanted to say I love him...so much" I can't see how anyone could NOT be moved by that little girl speaking of her loving father who she's just lost.

The thought of losing my mom, who is my sole parent just as MJ was the only parent his three kids knew, is just....I just don't know how I
could handle that even as an adult let alone as a child. I think she was very brave to speak to the world as she did. Was the most memorable moment of ALL of the Michael Jackson coverage since his sudden death on June 25, 2009. My heart and prayers go out to the entire Jackson family. The world has lost an icon but the Jackson's have lost their son, their brother, and their father.

There were many other important parts of today's memorial such as how all the pall bearers wore a single sequened glove. Smokey Robinson spoke about MJ as a child. Magic Johnson shared a story about sitting on the floor enjoying a bucket of Kentucky Fried Chicken with Michael Jackson. Brooke Shields had a hard time holding back tears as she spoke of being friends with Michael Jackson since they were just little kids. I believe is was Marlon who asked Michael to give their brother, his twin, a hug. There were lots of clips of highlights from Michael Jackson's life. He was spoken of as more than just the king of pop, but the greatest entertainer of all time.

Many many mean things have been said of him over the years and even since he's died but I don't want to hear about those things. He seemed to truly believe he was innocent of ever hurting a child in anyway and I truly believe that in his mind he never did hurt a child and that at least most of the accusations were schemes to get money and fame. And no matter what he may or may not have done that is or could be considered wrong or bad I think we should remember him for his amazing talents. He was one of the best performers this world has ever known. He was an amazing writer, dancer, singer, and humanitarian. People rarely talk about how much he helped many many charities and how thankful he was to all those who have made sacrifices to improve others lives. His album Thriller has still never been out sold and I honestly doubt it ever will due in part to the changing way music is obtained and also due to his extreme talents. He was a superstar all around the world long before we had the internet to spread the word.

It is the end of an era. In a way many people, including myself, have had part of their childhood pass away with this man. He was unique.
He was "weird" but how can anything else be expected if you look at his life?

"Wasn't nothing strange about your daddy. It was strange what your daddy had to deal with" -Al Sharpton

He became famous when he was barely old enough to attend school. His life was so different from the rest of the world yet he managed to make millions of people feel connected to him.

But even though the man is gone his music, his videos, his legacy will
live on. I wish I could afford to donate money to the causes he helped
or at least find some way to help people in some way as he has helped
so many in so many ways. He is an inspiration. His music is part of my life's soundtrack as it is to many many people all over the world.

I know I've rambled on about Michael Jackson a lot on my blog since his death but for some reason his death has touched me in ways I ever even imagined a celebrities death could. This is my blog and therefore I can say anything I want. This is a place I can ramble as much as I want or need to so that is what I've done and probably will do many times again about whatever happens to be on my mind at the time.

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