“When one person believes in something it’s a dream.”
“When two persons share the same dream…it’s a beginning of a new reality.” MJ
If you believe that each of us came into this world possessing gifts. And…you also accept the premise that a unique path was shaped specific to us. Given those tenets, Michael Jackson’s unparalleled gifts brought with them a legacy that is timeless. Paths are seldom smooth…twisting, turning, undulating and intersecting, AND always, always, ALWAYS surprising.
Consider my shock, as I meandered through 2009, to come face to face with one whose path impacted a planet of people. Suddenly, a world of learning presented itself. My journey took a life-changing turn into a complicatedly impactful series of events spanning five decades. But, this path wasn’t only historical, it was also in the moment, in the NOW and reaching its fingers and toes into future generations. The words gigantic, gargantuan, massive are all too small to really describe the enormity of Michael’s path.
SPEECHLESS…the lyrics of that song applied to me. For one who seldom is at a loss for words, I found myself without language. They say the pen is mightier than the sword. In my case, the pen was mightier than the spoken word. With great struggle to define my own voice, I dove into Michael’s words as he traveled his CHOSEN path to bring love to the planet.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e6VCEY2ExL8
SPEECHLESS, SPEECHLESS
THAT’S HOW YOU MAKE ME FEEL
WHEN I’M WITH YOU I AM FAR AWAY AND NOTHING IS FOR REAL
WHEN I’M WITH YOU I AM LOST FOR WORDS
I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO SAY
MY HEAD’S SPINNING LIKE A CAROUSEL, SO SILENTLY I PRAY. MJ
“I really believe that each person has a destiny from the day he’s born and certain people have a thing that they are meant to do. I’ve always joked that I didn’t ask to sing and dance, but it’s true. When I open my mouth music comes out. I’m honored that I have this ability. I thank God for it every day. I try to cultivate what He gave me. I feel I’m compelled to do what I do.” Moonwalk
In her book, Never Can Say Goodbye The Katherine Jackson Story, Mrs. Jackson said, “I was especially proud of watching my son’s early development into stardom, because he did a lot of things that you wouldn’t expect a child his age to do. For instance, at a mere six years old, Michael was able to pick up choreography quickly. He was a natural. He also surprised and impressed musical coaches with his ability to sing in harmony without any formal training. “
Hearing Michael speak of his art, his dreams, his amazing work ethic inspires me. From an early age, he felt compelled to give every ounce of blood, sweat and God-given talent to the work. NEVER GIVE UP! NEVER GIVE IN! But, along with that was another equally powerfur drive.
“It’s been my dream since I was a child to somehow unite people of the world through love and music. It is important to reach people, to move them. Sometimes one can do this with the mosaic of the music melody arrangement and lyrics, sometimes it is the intellectual content of the lyrics. In the end, the most important thing is to be true to yourself and those you love and work hard. I mean, work like there’s no tomorrow. Train. Strive. I mean, really train and cultivate your talent to the highest degree. Be the best at what you do. Get to know more about your field than anybody alive. Use the tools of your trade, if it’s books or a floor to dance on or a body of water to swim in.” Moonwalk
When I began researching Michael Jackson, I thought about what I would want to happen if someone were writing about me, my life. I would want and expect them to hear me and what I have to say about the events in my life. The retelling would be my voice. That is the commitment I have made. I absolutely knew I would not use media versions of reality.
On this chilly January morning, I am delighted that you are here with me. We have been given a gift. This journey we are on has many layers of truth…I have called them THEMES FOR LIFE. Michael’s life offers us a philosophy for living that is inspired in every way by LOVE.
I will close this morning with these thoughts…
“Don’t judge a person until you have talked with them one-on-one,” MJ
“The best dreams are when your eyes are wide open.” MJ
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,
LOVE IS THE HUMAN FAMILY’S MOST PRECIOUS LEGACY, ITS RICHEST BEQUEST, ITS GOLDEN INHERITANCE THAT IS HANDED DOWN FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER.” Taken from 2000 Oxford Union Address Heal the Kid Initiative Michael Jackson
IT’S ALL FOR LOVE. HAVE A HAPPY DAY.
JUDE
HIStory
MYstory
OURstory
It doesn’t surprise me that you all these years later are still talking about music. many times over the last 30 years I have thought about you, and how you introduce me to music. I what’s a shy ten year old boy in your third grade classroom. to this day I will never forget when you brought a record player into our classroom and played, the Lovin Spoonful ” do you believe in magic” and ” traveling salvation show” by Neil Diamond. You showed us how music was COOL that it was something for all of us, it brought us together. You and Jan Arezzo, were like the new wave of teachers and brought new fresh ideas into our schooling. You made me comfortable to like things that other boys were scared to show. I played hockey and football and it wasn’t cool to dance and like music but you made me feel ok with it and I overcame shyness with it. You broke the barrier that I couldn’t . there were few teachers that affected me the way your teaching did. I never got a chance to really thank you for that. I want you to know that I grew up to be a good person maybe not the smartest maybe not the best what I’ve accomplished many things in my life that I am proud of. many times over the years I’ve been at parties or bars that have music trivia and I always win not only do I know the bands and the songs but have an appreciation for that music. my oldest daughters now 21 and she sings in local musicals and she acts. and my youngest daughter who is only 9 know almost as much about the sixties and seventies music scene as I do. She loves Karen carpenter and Carol King, and we took her to a Beatles remake band called the Fab four in January and now she loves John Lennon and shares his story to her friends at school. Parents and teachers look at her in amazement of her diverse knowledge of music. I only wish her Granpa would let her into his life. Because she loves Buddy Holly, who is one of his favorites. So thank you for coming to Facebook Jude. Thank you for bringing a shy geeky boy into the mainstream. I’m sure many many people my age and younger were positively challenged and influenced by you. I hope that you realize you have made many of us better students, and better people. I’m honored to have crossed paths with you again 40 years later my now friend. I hope to read more of your writings in the near future. All respect and admiration, Bob
What a lovely tribute to our magnificent Jude! Thank you, Bob for sharing how this marvelous teacher influenced your life .
I loved the Mother’s Day tribute – both Michael’s and yours! You’re a Mom too, and a darned good one.
HI JUDE,
I WROTE AN EMAIL – DIDN’T GO THROUGH. YOU CAN FIND IN THE DRAFTS FOLDER.
NO NEW BLOG MATERIAL. YOU NEED TO START WRITING AGAIN!
TOM
I felt I came to know Michael better when I “watched” two of his concerts with you. I had “known” him all along as a genius artist, a singer, a dancer, a son, a brother, a father … from the media. Then I saw him perform a few feet away from me, watched his every move, listened to the messages he delivered through songs, understood his way of embracing his fans with genuine warmth, only then I got to know Michael’s passion to unite and heal the world. Then I know how true he was with his mission on earth.
He stayed true to it, he didn’t get off balance when forces from left and right pushed him around. He stayed calm. He stayed focus till the end to broadcast the message, to invite the people of the world to heal themselves and heal the wounds. Now an army of healers spread around the world, to pay him forward, to continue his legacy.
“Don’t judge a person until you have talked with them one-on-one,” MJ.
I don’t, because I have met you.
So Wonderful, dear Jude!
This one has so many personal signs for me within it. I thank you for pointing me to this one today. January 30, 2013 was a huge day in the life of “MichaeLuna.” It was the day I got permission from The Jackson Estate to use Michael’s poem in the book. 🙂
Also – Michael’s quote about “being humble,” was something I was thinking about so much yesterday as I wrote of the need to not be too “humble.” Michael’s way was to be pure and guileless, non-condescending, though he was truly an EXPERT on so many things, he never came across as condescending to anyone. This is what I sense that he means of being humble. It surely does not mean to think of yourself as “less-than” or “beneath” anyone else, but rather to understand and celebrate every soul’s intrinsic worth and value. I am studying this lately, due to some wonderful advice from Rev. June Juliet Gatlin regarding how we use our words. She taught Michael much about this too.
I love the quote from the movie “Corrina, Corrina” when Whoopi Goldberg’s character tells the little girl in the movie (on her day back to school after her mother had passed away) “There’s nobody better than you.” The little girl walked toward the big school building repeating this over and over to herself. “There’s nobody better than me…”
The flip-side is that we are not “better” than anyone else. And to respect ourselves and respect others equally, knowing that we are each WONDERFUL creations is something I learn from Michael’s spirit every day.
I LOVE you Jude! Thank you for ALL you do for LOVE and MichaeLOVE. Big hugs, ~H~
“It’s been my dream since I was a child to somehow unite people of the world through love and music. It is important to reach people, to move them. Sometimes one can do this with the mosaic of the music melody arrangement and lyrics, sometimes it is the intellectual content of the lyrics.” Michael’s ability to understand how music affects the psyche and soul is probably one of the best secrets of his success. A study involving both college students and 5-year-olds suggests that listening to pleasing music improves performance on cognitive tests and promotes creativity. We are so glad that scholars are now disecting his music in attempts to find these elements that stimulated not only our emotions but our own creativity and spirituality.