The memorial yesterday for Michael Jackson was beautiful. I was not fortunate enough to get a ticket and watched it on TV. I really wished I could have watched it with other like minded fans but I had to go to work. A lot of great moments celebrating his life and music. Definitely shed a tear listening to John Mayer's rendition of "Human Nature":
Cried a bit more listening to the end of Jennifer Hudson's rendition of "Will You Be There". Michael's voice at the end was just ....
And Dr. Maya Angelou's poem read by Queen Latifah was beautiful:
We Had Him
Beloveds, now we know that we know nothing, now that our bright and shining star can slip away from our fingertips like a puff of summer wind.
Without notice, our dear love can escape our doting embrace. Sing our songs among the stars and walk our dances across the face of the moon.
In the instant that Michael is gone, we know nothing. No clocks can tell time. No oceans can rush our tides with the abrupt absence of our treasure.
Though we are many, each of us is achingly alone, piercingly alone.
Only when we confess our confusion can we remember that he was a gift to us and we did have him.
He came to us from the creator, trailing creativity in abundance.
Despite the anguish, his life was sheathed in mother love, family love, and survived and did more than that.
He thrived with passion and compassion, humor and style. We had him whether we know who he was or did not know, he was ours and we were his.
We had him, beautiful, delighting our eyes.
His hat, aslant over his brow, and took a pose on his toes for all of us.
And we laughed and stomped our feet for him.
We were enchanted with his passion because he held nothing. He gave us all he had been given.
Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Black Star Square.
In Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England
We are missing Michael.
But we do know we had him, and we are the world.
Super last minute, Tuesday night I found out a friend was driving to Neverland Ranch the next day. I thought it would be cool to go and miracle of miracles my super cool boss let me go. It was a great road trip up to Los Olivos in Santa Barbara County to the ranch.Two hours and change each way playing MJ's music and reminscing about his great moments and wondering about the iffy ones. Learned some things I never knew like Janet Jackson sings on the end of Wanna Be Startin Somethin and all the names of the Jackson kids - Tito (I always remember his ha!) Jermaine. Randy. Marlon. Michael. Latoya. Rebe. Janet. Hmmm I'm missing one. And I know its a J...... hang on...... JACKIE! (Well that didn't stick in my head long?)
Anyhoo the drive was really nice though in the winding roads we passed, you could see the scorched earth where the Santa Barbara fires were.
We knew we were close by the glut of SAT trucks and media vans lining both sides of the tiny street. In between were people's cars and tents.
I never thought I'd really be that person that left a note or flowers in memoriam of someone but there I was writing a note and leaving it at the gate of Neverland Ranch. Doing that and listening to his music on the road trip with the girls was a great way to say goodbye. He'll have a memorial here in LA on Tuesday and I signed up for the lottery but I won't be devestated if I don't go. I said my goodbye.
