Michael Jackson

In all fairness - and I really am all about fairness - MJ had a rough life. Granted he could have turned it around and changed certain things, but when you snatch someone out of their childhood, rob them of having a childhood, and stick them into the limelight at such a young age, what you get is what you get.

I don't think it was fair. I mean yes, both he and Janet are two of the most successful stars in the entertainment business and have had a long running; The Jacksons were very successful as a group. But at what price?

MJ had a lot of demons, but you can never say that man didn't have talent, he had more than talent, and it's sad to see someone so misunderstood and so talented being constantly bashed and mocked by the media. I don't think he deserved all of that. Yeah we all know about the negative stories we've heard, but honestly who really has a right to say who or what he is?

I think it's time for all of us to take a step back and think about the fact that, a lot of us do from time to time get caught up in an artist personal life, and we get the personal mixed up with the public. And we also seem to forget that while they are in the public eye a lot, these people do have private lives, personal lives, and as a human being we do not have the right to interfere with that.

How would you feel if it was you who's personal life was constantly invaded and you couldn't go anywhere without getting your picture taken, unless you went somewhere desolate and devoid of media implants? Some say that once you become famous, your life belongs to everyone else. I disagree. No matter where you are in life, your life belongs to you. And ultimately you are the only person that YOU have to answer to.

If MJ had decided he was done with showbiz and wanted to live out the rest of his life as a recluse, and stay home and raise his kids, I don't think I would blame him one bit. I think he wanted what anybody wants, to be happy, to be around people he cared for and vice versa; I just don't think he had the right outlets around him when he was younger, and being so young and constantly in the spotlight, that can take its toll on a person. We all need private time, alone time, time to reconnect. Maybe now he finally has that, and his spirit can be at peace.

His music will always be with us. And for his talent, his gift, and his music, I thank him. I grew up listening to his music and his music was a huge part of my childhood. He is truly an artist I will never forget.

Life and Death

Yesterday I celebrated the 9th birthday of my only child. Directly after that, at about midnight, I found out that someone had passed away. This is someone I had grown up knowing all through highschool, and she'd been like a second grandmother to me; especially since one of my grandmothers died when I was a baby, and the other passed on when I was still in highschool.

So you can imagine how eerie that feels, to celebrate life and have a death right behind it. Granted yes, life and death happen everyday, and it's a part of life, but when it's someone you know, or someone you're close to, it sets a really eerie tone. That whole circle of life deal.

Of course, when someone passes you also celebrate their life, and you do your best to focus on the fact that they led a full life while they were in this world, and she did. She lived to see her children and grandchildren grow up, and I think that's as important as anything else.

But this also reminds me that we are all getting... well, I hate to use the word older, so I will just say that at some point, our parents and grandparents are not going to be here. It seems so selfish when you think about how you couldn't imagine life without them, because they brought you into this world, and you take for granted that they'll always be here, and you push those other thoughts out of your mind. The ones that tell you that, physically speaking, one day they won't be there.

But we are selfish aren't we? We want our parents and grandparents to live forever and always be there, and we get so caught up in the flesh that we forget about the spirit. They WILL always be there for you. You may not be able to see them, or hug them, or kiss them hello, but they don't stop being there for you just because they've left their bodies behind.

Of course yes, this sounds great, but it doesn't sound so great when your grieving. I'm not necessarily grieving per say, but I am sad that I will not see her again, in this lifetime. The last time I saw her was a couple of years ago. I am not sad, because I know she's no longer suffering. She lived through cancer, then lived through the onset of aging, and arthritis, and then cancer again. I think towards the end she was ready to move on, and I am happy that her spirit is in a better place.