Friday, June 26, 2009

Life and Death

When Princess Di died I was pregnant and living in D.C. It was a very emotional moment for me and I'm certain the hormones amplified that. Princess Di had inspired me for her benevolence and the grace and positivity with which she approached most everything. I went for a walk the following evening and somehow, though I swear not purposefully, ended up in front of the British Embassy. I was amazed by the amount of flowers and notes and outpouring of tangible love... but I didn't really get it. I did, indeed, pause for a reflective moment, acknowledging the loss of such an amazing woman, but I didn't feel the need to light a candle or place a posie fit for a princess.

That said, I don't understand the people milling about outside of Neverland Ranch, signing cards with gloved hands, leaving teddy bears and other trinkets there as well as in Indiana & on the Walk of Fame. I don't see how this helps one grieve or why folks feel the need to pay tribute in this way. Sure, my formative years happened in the late 70s and throughout the 80s, so trust you me, MJ was responsible for much of the soundtrack of my life during that time... though my tastes have clearly changed throughout the years.

It's hard not to feel sorry for MJ on some level, really, in that hs childhood was stripped from him and he never was able to get beyond that. As the years went on the stories surrounding his life became more and more bizarre and it was evident he suffered from O-D-D. His relationship with a number of children was suspect (my feelings on this are actually much stronger but I shall leave my thoughts about them out of this post). My guess is that his "heart attack" was probably the result of perscription drug abuse or, given that we are just weeks away from the planned comeback tour, I have to wonder about the timing of it all. We may never really know, and maybe it's better that way. I guess my point is that while the passing of anyone with whom we feel some sort of connection is sad, in my naievty, I just don't understand the whole cult following thing that seems to still exist and the over the top raw emotion exhibited by people who knew him only as he appeared in the public eye. In some ways I think his death is a blessing; for in death, Michael will finally find the peace he never had and likely never would have found in life.

In other news, Farrah, Jaclyn and Kate were my go to girls when I was a kid. What's not to like about smart, hot women who can kick some major ass? I wasn't allowed to watch much t.v., particularly anything violent, so after school I used to sneak into the sitting room behind my parents' bedroom to watch Charlie's Angels, the reruns of which came on at 4:00. My friends and I played hours worth of Jill Munroe, Kelly Garrett and Sabrina Duncan (I was always Kelly, of course, as I'm sure you all see the obvious resemblence!). We even had our own Bosley, much to the chagrin of my German Shepherd/Collie mix.

You know, Farrah wanted to die a quiet death with little attention focused on her last breath or funeral... and MJ's passing, I believe, has granted her that final wish by overshadowing the news. However, the incredible beauty this woman posessed in life and through sharing her journey towards the end of a life well lived with all who would open their eyes, their ears, and their hearts, can't be denied.

I won't be traveling anywhere to place flowers or the gift of a replica early-design cell phone the size of my head, but I will at least say: rest in peace, Angel.

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