Jul 7

Written by: michaela renee
7/7/2009 1:26 PM

I felt more than I thought I’d feel when I heard he had died. Maybe it’s because I happened to be alone that night. I’ve been alone a lot lately. Physically alone and emotionally alone, the type of alone you feel when you leave work late and the parking lot is empty, and your car is the only one there.

The first thing I did was sit down at the computer, click to youtube and type “man in the mirror” in the search field. I probably watched the video twenty times in a row…I’m sure that’s not healthy. It was 1988 when it was recorded, five years before his first judgment.

I listened to him hum the words in that hummingbird pitch only he can hit and heard the Gospel choir provide his lonely tone the harmony it needed.

I thought about how I felt like a piece of me died, like the world was suddenly a quieter place. Some say he was a child molester, some say he was crazy. I didn’t care, I never did. I saw him for what he was, talented beyond imagination with the ability to bring people together across the boundaries of race, class and culture as if it were simply a squiggle in the sand.

I say he was robbed of his childhood and desperately wanted to recapture it, I say he was misunderstood.

I stand by the age old adage that you can’t judge a man until you’ve walked a mile in his shoes…here’s six miles in his shoes…

Looking out
Across the night-time
The city winks a sleepless eye

They Told Him Don't You Ever Come Around Here
Don't Wanna See Your Face, You Better Disappear
The Fire's In Their Eyes And Their Words Are Really Clear

Lift Your Head Up High
And Scream Out To The World
I Know I Am Someone
And Let The Truth Unfurl
No One Can Hurt You Now

So They Came Into The Outway
It Was Sunday - What A Black Day
Mouth To Mouth Resuscitation

In This Place You'll Feel
There's No Hurt Or Sorrow
There Are Ways To Get There
If You Care Enough

And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place, Take a Look At Yourself And Make a Change

I know what it feels like to walk down a crowded street and feel entirely alone. I think he was blessed with the ability to moonwalk, because even he couldn’t always bare to walk in the shoes he was given.

From one MJ to another…you only die if you are forgotten, the Man in the Mirror will not be forgotten Michael, I‘m gonna go ahead and start making some changes.

Copyright ©2009 Michaela Renee

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