Thursday, June 25, 2009

Michael Jackson -- King of Pop -- May He Rest in Peace



First off, I'm not a huge Michael Jackson fan... never have been.. but I have always (for the past couple decades, at least) been more or less fascinated with him...

Mostly, I have felt very, very sorry for him.

Here was a man with fabulous wealth and talent who was obviously a very unhappy man. He was child-like because, I guess, he missed his own childhood as a constantly-working part of the world-renowned Jackson Five.

He probably had gender-identity issues. This is pure speculation, but it's just a sense I get because he seemed so sensitive... so un-manly in so many ways... too gentle in spirit to be a "real" guy.

He was haunted by something. I'm not convinced, as others are, that he was a pedophile. I think he was a man in a boy's body, wanting to be with kids because that's where he felt most comfortable, most understood, most like himself.

All I know is that, while I was saddened to hear of Farrah Fawcett's death earlier today, I was utterly shocked to hear of Michael Jackson's. As soon as I truly grasped it, tears welled up in my eyes, quite unexpectedly. I would never have anticipated this reaction because, as I say, I was not a follower, a fan. I don't own a single one of his records.

Maybe the tears were because I believe he's finally at peace now. I don't think he ever was in life.

And that is a tragedy.

It's a tragedy because , to my way of thinking, a man who brought so much excitement, joy and music to others should have been able to enjoy the fruits of his labors with a full heart.

I'm sorry, Michael. Truly sorry that your life ended so soon, and sorry that much more of it was not happier for you.







3 comments:

Amy Ulen said...

I wholeheartedly agree. He was a tortured soul who was unable to truly LIVE his life. I'm sure the stress of battling with his own identity for most of his life simply caused his heart to fail him. I’m at a conference and haven’t watched TV all week…I didn’t realize Farrah had passed also. It's a sad day for their families and all of their fans.

On a semi-related side note, after 17 years, we finally have resigned ourselves to putting the cats down. As much as I have fought it over the past few years, I realize it is time. I’m going home tomorrow and will spend a couple weeks loving and spoiling them until it is time to say good-bye. It breaks my heart!

Kris M Smith said...

Chrystabel,

My heart goes out to you re your 17 year old littermates. Mine are 13 now (brothers) and I'm already dreading the day when they begin to fail to a point where euthanasia is the only humane response.

You're in my prayers. It's the toughest decision a pet owner ever has to make. My two are glued to each other, so when one goes, the other probably will have to, too... as a kindness.

Carl Rylander said...

I got up at 1 in the morning and saw it on the news24 channel. It seems to be in line with other famous deaths, in, that at first, you think it's a joke.

You seem to get this feeling, that in the first 12 hours or so, they're still floating around somewhere, seeing how the world has responded. Whether that's true or not, I don't know. It's a bit weird!