During this magical time of year, I think we find it easier to rediscover the child that lives inside each of us.  Baking cookies, decorating the house, wrapping surprises to give to the people we love, whether those we know intimately or those we have never met, we rekindle that feeling of wonder.  For many of us, the holiday is wrapped around the birth of Jesus Christ.  For many, it is a celebration of Hanukkah.  For many, it is a celebration of family and tradition.  For Michael, the magic of giving and loving was celebrated each and every day.

“TODAY OF ALL DAYS, WE FOCUS ON LOVING ONE ANOTHER AND GIVING.  LET’S DO THIS NOT JUST ONE DAY OF THE YEAR, BUT FOR 365 DAYS…LET’S FORGET HATRED AND TURN TO THOSE THAT ARE SUFFERING; NOT JUST TODAY, BUT EVERY DAY.  JOIN ME IN HEALING THE WORLD AND MAKING IT A BETTER PLACE.”  Michael Jackson CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 1992

Studying Michael’s life has repurposed my own.  I have always enjoyed this time of year because it really gave me a creative outlet.  And, even though it was this holiday season in 1995 when my Dear Dad left us, I still look forward to each day of December with great anticipation.  You see, my Dad loved everything about Christmas…the food, the decorating, the gift-giving.  He did it all.  Months after he passed, I discovered hidden surprises he had planned for our family Christmas.  That makes me smile through my tears.  But, my journey with Michael has shone me something I really hadn’t thought of before.  This focusing on love and giving is something that the world needs us to do everyday.  I know we all KNOW that…but, with Michael, it isn’t only about the surface layer of generosity.  The deeper layers involve magic, and childlike joy and wonder.  To him…IT WAS FUN!  He looked forward to each and every time.  He, HIMSELF, shopped for hundreds of thousands of gifts to give to children in orphanages and hospitals all over this planet.  He, HIMSELF, greeted terminally ill  and disadvantaged children backstage or at the gates of Neverland.  He, HIMSELF, showed up at schools and homes of those in need.  HE WANTED TO…HE WAS COMMITTED TO DOING IT ALL…AND, HE LOVED IT.  That sense of love is what is needed 365 days of the year.  And, Michael searched out the need.  He actually spent time trying to find it.  I love the words he said when confronted with great suffering and need:  “WHAT DO YOU NEED AND HOW CAN I HELP?”  He knew he had been given enormous gifts because he could then give them to others.  He knew he was chosen for a higher purpose.  But, HE ALSO KNEW THAT WE ALL ARE CHOSEN.  We are all here for a higher purpose.

The word ECSTASY is defined as: an overpowering emotion or exaltation, the frenzy of poetic inspiration, mental transport or rapture from the contemplation of divine things, a state of sudden intense feeling.  I believe Michael was appealing to us all to live this special season of the year ALL YEAR…living it with an overpowering emotion in rapture and with intense feeling.

ECSTASY

I WAS BORN TO NEVER DIE

TO LIVE IN BLISS, TO NEVER CRY

TO SPEAK THE TRUTH AND NEVER LIE

TO SHARE MY LOVE WITHOUT A SIGH

TO STRETCH MY ARMS WITHOUT A TIE

THIS IS MY DANCE, THIS IS MY HIGH

IT’S NOT A SECRET, CAN’T YOU SEE

WHY CAN’T WE ALL LIVE IN ECSTASY

ECSTASY     ECSTACY

WHY CAN’T WE ALL

LIVE IN ECTASY

WITHOUT A GUILT, WITHOUT REGRET

I AM HERE TO FORGET

TAINTED MEMORIES OF IMAGINED SIN

IN EVERY FRIEND, KITH AND KIN

WE HAVE COME TO CELEBRATE HERE

THE GETTING RID OF EVERY FEAR

OF EVERY NOTION, EVERY SEED

OF ANY SEPARATION, CASTE, OR CREED.

THIS ALIENATION, FRAGMENTATION, ABOMINATION

OF SEPARATION, EXPLOITATION, ISOLATION

THIS CRUELTY, HYSTERIA, ABSOLUTE MADNESS

THIS ANGER, ANXIETY, OVERFLOWING SADNESS

DISRUPTED ECOLOGY, WANTON DESTRUCTION

DISEASED BIOLOGY, NATURE’S OBSTRUCTION

HOLES IN THE OZONE, DEFYING SOLUTION

IS NOT KNOWING THE SPARK THAT LIGHTS MY INTERIOR

IS THE SAME FIRE, GLOWING IN EVERY MAN, CHILD OR MOTHER SUPERIOR.

WE HAVE COME TO CELEBRATE HERE

THE GETTING RID OF EVERY FEAR

OF EVERY NOTION, EVERY SEED

OF ANY SEPARATION, CASTE, OR CREED.

FEELING FREE, LET US FLY

INTO THE BOUNDLESS, BEYOND THE SKY

FOR WE WERE BORN TO NEVER DIE

TO LIVE IN BLISS, TO NEVER CRY

TO SPEAK THE TRUTH AND NEVER LIE

TO SHARE OUR LOVE WITHOUT A SIGH

TO STRETCH OUR ARMS WITHOUT A TIE

THIS IS OUR DANCE, THIS IS OUR HIGH

IT’S NOT A SECRET, CAN’T YOU SEE

WHY CAN’T WE ALL LIVE IN ECSTASY

ECSTASY   ECSTASY

WHY CAN’T WE ALL

LIVE IN ECSTASY.

Michael’s plea is to us all, to take this magic and wonder and love and giving of the season and bring it all into our daily lives with great joy.  He seeks to help us understand and asks for our help.  Michael has always been about the power of the people to make change and heal the world.  His solutions have always started with creativity.

STOP THIS AGONY OF WISHING

PLAY IT OUT

DON’T THINK, DON’T HESITATE

CURVING BACK WITHIN YOURSELF

JUST CREATE…JUST CREATE.

The innocence of childhood, the play that inspires creativity, the power we all have as one voice to heal.  Those are the things Michael has taught me.  I have repurposed what I already knew into this formula of pure and unconditional love…the generous spirit that lives in all of us 365 days of the year.

My Dear Friends, have a wonderful holiday.  Spread your wings and fly into this ecstasy of Michael’s and together we will continue his mission to HEAL THE WORLD.

From my heart and with my love,

Jude

HIS story

MYstory

OURstory

THANK YOU, MICHAEL JACKSON’S LEGACY, FOR THE BEAUTIFUL CHRISTMAS CARDS.