End of an Era

One would have to be on Mars not to know that Michael Jackson's memorial service was today. I, honestly, didn't intend to watch it. Or at least, the thought hadn't crossed my mind until I was sitting in my lazy boy with a sleeping baby and I happened upon the CNN broadcast.

Two hours later, the baby now awake, I still sat in that lazy boy blubbering as I watched speaker after speaker, performance after performance, crying through each one.

As I am sure many of us have done, I have been reflecting on Michael Jackson since his death. All the media coverage just made me so sad for this iconic man. His critics would say he was a pervert and a child molester. Nobody knows what the truth really is. I personally think that he was fighting inner demons resulting from not having a true childhood. So in his search for peace he built a world around him to make up for that lost childhood. Surrounded himself with children to share what he had created. To give others a chance to experience the joy of childhood. Unfortunately, what in his mind was innocent bonding with children was persecuted in the adult world and seen as perverted. He became guilty in the eyes of public opinion and I believe that was his demise in the end. He died of a broken heart.

Today's memorial service brought back a flood of memories and really made me realize the magnitude of the situation. The impact he has had on the world. The impact he had on my life. He has been around my entire life. Thriller was my first album. I listened to it over and over when I was ten. He was the first concert I ever went to. His music was in the background my whole life. And it was GOOD stuff!

This man had such a big part in my life and I didn't realize how big it was until he was gone. I took for granted his presence and his influence. I kick myself for not appreciating it more. I hope Michael Jackson is remembered for the impact he had on pop culture and the wonderful things he has done throughout his life. I for one will.