mj

with all the hype about michael jackson's death, maybe posting about it counteracts what i want to say?

in all honesty, i haven't been paying much attention to all the media coverage. i'm not reading the articles, watching the news shows, nor did i see the memorial service (well, i saw the last 10 minutes when heids had it on tv). and it's not because i don't love michael jackson. because i do! and i agree that he had a huge impact on the music industry. i have loved his music since i was a kid- i remember my dad playing the thriller music video when i was really young, and i was terrified of the zombies. heidi and i used to watch vh1's michael jackson video countdowns whenever we saw them on tv, and dance along, and as any child who grew up in the early 90's, we loved the movie (and music for) Free Willy. duh.

but, when it all comes down to it, he was just a man. a man with extraordinary talent and exposure, whose life was completely torn apart by the media, had a stolen childhood and was given no privacy, yet just a man. sometimes i think it's strange how idolized a human being can be for their God-given talents. are we heralding and praising the right one in this situation? when does the glory of the creation of this magnificent voice and those happy dancing feet go to God?

and don't you find it ironic that the media that tore him apart, alienated him from real, truly loving relationships and publicized any and all of his smallest flaws is now praising all his greatest accomplishments, his character which they once attacked and spouting off about how much they loved him? i do, because i find them mostly at fault for his demise. it's a great example of how the same people who build you up can tear you right back down. i think in life we all need to be understood. we need everyone to know that we're only human. and so was he.

in honor of mj though, i'm posting what i hear was his favorite song....



when i listen to this song and try to mentally put myself in his shoes, i realize that if i had had a life like that, i'd need to sing it a whole lot, and i probably wouldn't have held my own as well as he did! i'm blessed to have loving friends and family, close relationships that are real, and to be able to enjoy the little things in life!