“WHAT ONE WISHES IS TO BE TOUCHED BY TRUTH AND TO BE ABLE TO INTERPRET THAT TRUTH SO THAT ONE MAY USE WHAT ONE’S FEELING AND EXPERIENCING, BE IT DESPAIR OR JOY, IN A WAY THAT WILL ADD MEANING TO ONE’S LIFE AND WILL HOPEFULLY TOUCH OTHERS AS WELL.  THIS IS ART IN ITS HIGHEST FORM.  THOSE MOMENTS OF ENLIGHTENMENT ARE WHAT I CONTINUE TO LIVE FOR. ”  MICHAEL JACKSON

Often, people just don’t see what I see.  They have too much doubt.  You can’t do your best when you’re doubting yourself.  If you don’t believe in yourself, who will?  Just doing as well as you did the last time is not good enough.  I think of it as the ‘Try to get what you can.’  It doesn’t require you to stretch…to grow.  I don’t believe in that.  I believe we are powerful, but we don’t use our minds to full capacity.”  Moonwalk  Michael Jackson

“Michael was a happy-go-lucky kind of person.  I didn’t have to teach my son lessons about being humble during his lifelong fame; it seemed to come naturally to him.  I remember telling Michael as a boy that performing on stage was a job, and that it did not make him better than anyone else.  It’s possible that my message resonated; even still, his humility often amazed me.”  Never Can Say Goodbye  Katherine Jacksonhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7nD8KfUC3E

“HE’S NOT AFRAID TO LOOK INTO THE WORST SUFFERING AND FIND THE SMALLEST PART THAT’S POSITIVE AND BEAUTIFUL.” Frank Dileo of MJ

      I have always been drawn to a person’s heart, their vulnerability, their ability to relate to others, that amazing, beautiful core that reveals itself in every choice they make, every thing they do.  On the other hand, I have always been repelled by ego.  My definition of ego is arrogance.  I love a good listener.  I am inspired by someone who gives their heart and soul to what they believe in no matter what the cost.  I admire bravery, the courage to speak out for a cause.  Because I have always loved animals, I smile when I see that in others.  Children have been my passion and my career for my entire adult life.  I love talent and beauty. The natural world feeds my creativity.  And, yes, play opens the flood gates of my creative mind.  I was taught that work was not a four-letter-word.  Professionalism and class are traits worth striving for and keeping.  Is it any wonder then that the hours I have researched Michael’s creative and humanitarian life have been pure joy?  To really get to know someone, that beautiful core that lives inside them, you must spend time in their lives…the day to day journey…times when life is going well and the times when they are asked to walk through fire.  A person’s character is revealed when the day-to-day journey is revealed.  And, words, spoken, written, sung…words planned and those that are given unexpectedly.  Of course, most of us live the major portion of our lives in privacy.  Michael Jackson didn’t have that luxury.  His life was under a microscope every single day.  I cannot imagine what that feels like…but, whatever the situation, Michael held to the values he believed.  LOVE was always, ALWAYS at the core. 

THEMES FOR A LIFETIME

“OUR LIVES BEGIN TO END THE DAY WE BECOME SILENT ABOUT THINGS THAT MATTER.”  MJ

“MAKE LOVE YOUR WEAPON TO OVERCOME ANY EVIL.” MJ Japan 1987

“LOVE IS THE ANSWER TO ALL THAT I AM.” MJ

“THE MAJOR INGREDIENT OF ANY RECIPE FOR FEAR IS THE UNKNOWN” MJ

“WHEN ALL LIFE IS SEEN AS DIVINE, EVERYONE GROWS WINGS.” MJ Dancing the Dream

“I HAVE FOUNDED THE HEAL THE WORLD FOUNDATION TO BE THE VOICE OF THE VOICELESS…CHILDREN.” MJ Heal th World New York

“YOUR MIND IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO HELP YOU ATTAIN WHATEVER YOU WANT.  MAKING THE THRILLER ALBUM WAS VERY HARD WORK, BUT, IT’S TRUE THAT YOU ONLY GET OUT OF SOMETHING WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT.  I’M A PERFECTIONIST.  I WILL WORK UNTIL I DROP.  I’M REALLY SELF-CONFIDENT IN MY WORK. WHEN I TAKE A PROJECT I BELIEVE IN 100%.  I REALLY PUT MY SOUL INTO IT.  THAT’S HOW I AM.” MJ Moonwalk

LIVE, BE, MOVE, REJOICE. YOU ARE ALIVE! MJ

I AM COMMITTED TO MY ART.  I BELIEVE THAT ALL ART HAS AS IT’S ULTIMATE GOAL THE UNION BETWEEN THE MATERIAL AND THE SPIRITUAL, THE HUMAN AND THE DIVINE.  I BELIEVE THAT TO BE THE REASON FOR THE VERY EXISTENCE OF ART.  I FEEL I WAS CHOSEN AS AN INSTRUMENT TO JUST GIVE MUSIC AND LOVE AND HARMONY TO THE WORLD.  TO CHILDREN OF ALL AGES, ADULTS AND TEENAGERS.” MJ Oprah Interview 1992

“I FIND IN ANIMALS THE SAME THING I FIND SO WONDERFUL IN CHILDREN.  THAT PURITY, THAT HONESTY, WHERE THEY DON’T JUDGE YOU, THEY JUST WANT TO BE YOUR FRIEND.  I THINK THAT IS SO SWEET.” MJ Oprah Interview 1992

    I was one of those lucky children to have grown up in an inner-city neighborhood where children of all colors and religions and ethnicities went to school together, played together, learned about life together.  I never saw color or religion.  That was truly my great good fortune.  I can remember stories about injustices both my mom and dad had to endure…mom being an Italian growing up with prejudice and name-calling…dad growing up as the very definition of dirt poor intinerant farmer.  Those stories informed my heart when it came to injustice of any kind.  The injustices that Michael endured continue to bring me to gut-wrenching tears.  Walking through the fires that were set by those who wanted to destroy for greed or ratings or racism or jealousy…Michael was able to produce astounding music.  His social conscious  music united people across the globe.  This community knows no color, no religion, no national boundaries and thrives today.  This community brings me here.  This community brings you here.  We join together to say, “THANK YOU, MICHAEL! ”  IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LOVE.

“A HEART THAT GIVES EXPECTING NOTHING IN RETURN.”  Elizabeth Taylor of MJ

“MICHAEL JACKSON…THE MOST INEXHAUSTIBLE HUMANITARIAN AND LOBBYIST FOR CHANGE IN CULTURAL MEMORY.”  ROSA PARKS MUSEUM SYMPOSIUM 2012

     Enjoy this beautiful day in your life.

JUDE

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