Looking from the outside into the life of Michael Jackson amid the frenzy and differing stories emerging, one can’t help but wonder what is true and what is fictional. He lead his life in the spotlight of publicity, had no choice, a boy star, from a family of performers. Controlled, if it is to be believe, by an autocratic father, who bullied, abused and groomed his children for stardom.
But the most important thing in his life alluded him. I hope now in death, he is able to find it.
He had prestige, accolade, untold wealth, houses, cars; anything he wanted be could buy, and buy he did, often unwisely, as if trying to buy his childhood back. And yet, again from hearsay, he had debts amounting to $500 million. A colossal sum for any company let alone for an individual, but perhaps he was that, an institution to be used and exploited.
Was it all worth it?
That is not for me to answer, but I suspect his children may not think it so; they are left without a father, now in the custody of their grandmother, but even here there is controversy. There is a saying in the Wild West, live by the bullet and you die by it. Michael Jackson lived in the media, and now in death nothing is hidden.
He lead a bizarre life, his Never-Never-Land Ranch, the fair ground, his monkey Bubbles, his menagerie of animals. His predilection for being with children, and not least of all, his tormented personality; he was not happy inside his body. The operations on his face, his skin treatments, his reliance on tablets, adds up to... I’ll let you work that conclusion.
The child abuse court case which cost him millions, and yet he couldn't help himself. He was on a roundabout, a cage on his merry go round, knew he was there, but didn’t know how to stop it turning to allow him time to get off.
Did he abuse children?
I think not; inside his heart he was a child, stardom had robbed him of his childhood, and for the rest of his life he tried to regain that feeling of being a child, playing, laughing, running, smiling. But of course, he failed, what is lost is gone, and you must move on, but Michael couldn't move forward, so he stayed where he was in his mind – a child, a lost child.
But the most important thing in his life alluded him. I hope now in death, he is able to find it.
He had prestige, accolade, untold wealth, houses, cars; anything he wanted be could buy, and buy he did, often unwisely, as if trying to buy his childhood back. And yet, again from hearsay, he had debts amounting to $500 million. A colossal sum for any company let alone for an individual, but perhaps he was that, an institution to be used and exploited.
Was it all worth it?
That is not for me to answer, but I suspect his children may not think it so; they are left without a father, now in the custody of their grandmother, but even here there is controversy. There is a saying in the Wild West, live by the bullet and you die by it. Michael Jackson lived in the media, and now in death nothing is hidden.
He lead a bizarre life, his Never-Never-Land Ranch, the fair ground, his monkey Bubbles, his menagerie of animals. His predilection for being with children, and not least of all, his tormented personality; he was not happy inside his body. The operations on his face, his skin treatments, his reliance on tablets, adds up to... I’ll let you work that conclusion.
The child abuse court case which cost him millions, and yet he couldn't help himself. He was on a roundabout, a cage on his merry go round, knew he was there, but didn’t know how to stop it turning to allow him time to get off.
Did he abuse children?
I think not; inside his heart he was a child, stardom had robbed him of his childhood, and for the rest of his life he tried to regain that feeling of being a child, playing, laughing, running, smiling. But of course, he failed, what is lost is gone, and you must move on, but Michael couldn't move forward, so he stayed where he was in his mind – a child, a lost child.
He reminded me of the parable of the lost sheep, balanced on a precipice clinging desperately in case it fell. The sheep found help, Michael was still looking but death found him first.
I remember the furore of when he held his baby over the balcony, my heart jumped to see how reckless he could be with another life. It wasn’t intentional, I don’t think that for a moment, but he couldn’t see the danger, and still, I don’t think he felt he had done anything wrong.
You often find that in people of genius, they have talent, and yet lack common sense, but this article will not be complete unless I separate the man from his music.
I remember the furore of when he held his baby over the balcony, my heart jumped to see how reckless he could be with another life. It wasn’t intentional, I don’t think that for a moment, but he couldn’t see the danger, and still, I don’t think he felt he had done anything wrong.
You often find that in people of genius, they have talent, and yet lack common sense, but this article will not be complete unless I separate the man from his music.
There, he was whole, the sounds pleased, his dance enchanted, his whole demeanour was of the showman, the entertainer, and because of that, something was lost in the translation back into ordinary everyday life, the mask dropped, the sad clown's face came through. He will go down as one of the greats of music. That is assured, like Elvis Presley, another tortured individual who died before his time.
I said earlier that the most important thing in life alluded him, for all his wealth and fame, or perhaps because of it. I believe he never felt loved or valued for himself, and longed for that feeling of being cherished for what he was, and not for what he could give to others, and give he did of himself over generously.
Would I have changed places with him when he lived? No, if it were offered, I would have run away and carried on running, but I hope now, Michael Jackson will find the peace he craved in life, and I wish his children and his family well.
As yet, the drama is still centre stage, and far from its final conclusion. The curtain is up, the show must goes forward, and it will, in spectacular fashion, his place in history assured, rest in peace Michael Jackson, the peace which alluded you in life.
I said earlier that the most important thing in life alluded him, for all his wealth and fame, or perhaps because of it. I believe he never felt loved or valued for himself, and longed for that feeling of being cherished for what he was, and not for what he could give to others, and give he did of himself over generously.
Would I have changed places with him when he lived? No, if it were offered, I would have run away and carried on running, but I hope now, Michael Jackson will find the peace he craved in life, and I wish his children and his family well.
As yet, the drama is still centre stage, and far from its final conclusion. The curtain is up, the show must goes forward, and it will, in spectacular fashion, his place in history assured, rest in peace Michael Jackson, the peace which alluded you in life.
Let me have your comments, please.
