“HIDDEN IN THE DRAWER OF INNOCENCE.

WRAPPED IN A SCARF OF WONDER.”

Michael Jackson

Your Daddy had the gift of language.  The layers of meaning continue to challenge the minds of those who have been gifted their scarves of wonder.  Defined with the innocence of a child is the epic genius.  Love drives it all.  And, bravery.  Your Daddy walked through many fires and, still, kept to the path for which he was chosen.  The challenges of life informed the character of a person, Michael Jackson.

We looked to…OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO…when first we began yesterday, stopping while aloft, being the best of the best.  Aw, but today, life challenges appear:

“Except when you don’t

Because, sometimes, you won’t.

I’m sorry to say so

but, sadly, it’s true

that Bang-ups and Hang-ups

can happen to you.

You can get all hung up

in a prickle-ly perch.

And your gang will fly on

You’ll be left in a Lurch.

You’ll come down from the Lurch

with an unpleasant bump.

And the chances are, then

that you’ll be in a Slump.

And when you’re in a Slump,

you’re not in for much fun.

Un-slumping yourself

is not easily done.

You will come to a place where the streets are not marked.

Some windows are lighted.  But mostly they’re darked.

A place you could sprain both your elbow and chin!

Do you dare to stay out?  Do you dare to go in?

How much can you lose?  How much can you win?

And IF you go in, should you turn left or right…

or right-and-three-quarters?  Or, maybe, not quite?

Or go around back and sneak in from behind?

Simple it’s not, I’m afraid you will find,

for a mind-maker-upper to make up (her) mind.

You can get so confused

that you’ll start in to race

down long wiggled roads at a break-necking pace

and grind on for miles across weirdish wild space,

headed, I fear, toward a most useless place

THE WAITING PLACE…

…for people just waiting.

Waiting for a train to go

or a bus to come, or a plane to go

or the mail to come, or the rain to go

or the phone to ring, or the snow to snow

or waiting around for a Yes or No

or waiting for their hair to grow.

Everyone is just waiting.

Waiting for the fish to bite

or waiting for the wind to fly a kite

or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps for their Uncle Jake

or a pot to boil, or a Better Break

or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants

or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

Everyone is just waiting.

Oh, those waiting times.  I have a feeling you are well acquainted with them.  They do come at the most unexpected moments in the form of surprises…something right out of the blue, that we often never saw coming.  The secret in their surprises is that a person’s character is both strengthened and enlightened.  We suddenly find ourselves REVISITING, NOURISHING, REDEFINING our paths.

“But now, I am a father myself, and one day I was thinking about my own children and how I wanted them to think of me when they grow up.  To be sure, I would like them to remember how I always wanted them with me wherever I went.  How I always tried to put them before anything else.  But, there are also challenges in their lives.  Because my kids are stalked by the paparazzi, they can’t always go to the park or to the movies with me.  So, what if they resent me when they grow older?  What if they resent how my choices impacted their youth?  Why weren’t we given an average childhood like the other kids, they might ask. And, at that moment, I pray my children will give me the benefit of the doubt.  That they would say to themselves ‘Our Daddy did the best he could given the unique circumstances that he faced.  He may not have been perfect, but, he was a warm and decent man who tried to give us all the love in the world.’  I hope that they will focus on the positive things, on the sacrifices I willingly made for them and not criticize the things they had to give up or the errors I’ve made and will certainly continue to make in raising them.”  (Daddy)

I know in my heart that your Daddy is proud of you beyond measure…your inner strength, your loving heart.  You are his ‘baby girl’ and nothing you could do would change his intense love for you.  Through all the challenges you have faced, and, will certainly face in the future, you are beloved.  For now, feel that glow and BE GOD’S GLOW.

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY.  Let’s meet here again for the third slice of delicious cake.  My love to you!

Jude