Riding Again

[wlotus]

Twyla the Bike, during a break in our 12-mile adventure.
I had determined to create a special photo today in honor of Michael Jackson. Problem is, I couldn't come up with any ideas. All I could think of was a man simply doing his thing (and going out of his way to give much of his time and attention to others in the process), no matter who liked it or didn't like it, and sometimes going to great lengths to protect his right to do his own thing.

Today I got up from my computer, donned my bike gear, and rode 12 miles on my bike, camera in tow. I wasn't trying to prove a point. I wasn't trying to be what others thought I should be. I was simply doing my own thing in my own way (with MJ on my iPod, I admit). And you know what? That's a suitable tribute without even trying to do a tribute.

Rest in peace, dear Michael. I did not know you, but I never believed any of the accusations made against you in court or in the media. I always defended you when people made jokes about you. Your only mistake was confiding in the wrong people. I always believed you were too child-like to harm anyone.

I am sorry life and people were so hard on you. I hope now you have the peace that seemed to elude you for most of your life.

Tayatha Om Gate Gate Paragate
Parasamgate Bodhi Soha

Gone, gone, gone beyond
Gone utterly beyond...Oh what an awakening!

~ "Heart Suta", by Wah!

Comments

(frozen)

[dulcinbradbury.livejournal.com]

I always believed you were too child-like to harm anyone.

I can't go that far. But, I would believe that he was too child-like and messed up to understand that he was doing harm.

(frozen)

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Fair enough.

I am going to freeze this thread, only because there are some people who may reply to turn this into a hate-fest on him, and I will not tolerate that.

[scream4noreason.livejournal.com]

A nice tribute. Sure, he was a troubled individual but I will be playing his music now and always. What a gift he gave us.

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

Last Sunday my pastor preached to us about the important of considering what legacy we want to leave behind. When I think of Michael's music and humanitarian legacy, I am inspired to keep doing my thing; I probably won't touch as many people as he did, but those few I touch, I'd like to leave a legacy where they can say about me, "What a gift she gave us." :-)

Everyone is troubled in their own way. Some people just don't have the luxury of being troubled in private.

Thank you

[catling.livejournal.com]

Thank you for this entry. It sounds like a beautiful tribute to me, and I love the Heart Suta you quoted here.

What has made me most sad about his death is the utter insensitivity that some people are displaying about it.

And no, I never believed the accusations against him either. I just could not. What I saw in his friendships with children was the sad yet sweet attempt of someone whose childhood was stolen from him to relive it as an adult. I think he was trying to heal, to reclaim his child self. I think that he took a very innocent delight in creating a magical wonderland for these other kids, that there was great peace and healing for him in seeing their joy. I won't have my impression tainted by a vicious media, I will honor his memory as an eternal child.

I hope he has found peace.

Re: Thank you

[wlotus.livejournal.com]

I saw the same thing in his friendships with children, too. I don't believe he did any harm; I think the harm was imagined by an oversexed adult population that turns the most innocent of things into something sexual. And as you said, the fact that he was male and rich meant he would be accused of being a sexual predator, even if it wasn't true. It's also a stark example of society's stifling ideas of what a man "should" be and how men who do not cut themselves down to fit into that box are punished by society. A woman sleeping in the same bed with a child or even a pre-teen of either sex would be called "maternal". But a man...

And as you said, those who disagree can be respectful with their silence here. (Thank you, again, for that!)