Michael Jackson - Free and At Peace

Michael Jackson is dead.

Died in the prime of his life, like many other great talents that the world have seen - icons like Elvis Presley, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean and many others.

I was never an MJ fan. I have never bought a single album of his.

Sure, I have heard his songs, which were played ad nauseam in the airwaves, shopping malls and at parties when his albums were released in the great 80's. I have watched his specials, concerts and performances in various award shows shown on the TV.

But yet, I was not his fan.

Why?

Because I just did not enjoy his songs and his singing. It is as simple as that.

And yet I DID respect him for the great talent that he was blessed with. The talent to reach out to touch people with his songs, his voice and his performances. The magic that he brings to his fervent fans.

I did recognize the greatness that the Universe has put on his shoulder. And I did appreciate the tremendous achievements that he had accomplished since he was a young kid.

Yes, he was truly blessed with a great talent.

However, every blessing is a double-edged sword. With great talents comes great responsibilities.

The responsibilities to share the talents generously. The burden to change the world for the better. The duty to live beyond himself.

Sadly, MJ did not developed the wisdom to do that.

With the successes that he had, he was consumed by the fame, the adoration and the wealth.

Despite all these, I doubt that MJ was ever truly happy.

He sought escape from the pedestal that his fans had put him on by getting addicted to drugs, addicted to the adorations that strokes his ego and addicted to all the material things that money could buy.

He did not have the opportunity to learn that all these will not bring him true happiness. All these will not last - not the fame, the successes and the adoration.

True happiness only comes from within.

Within is the stillness that would have told him about his calling and how he could have served the Universe to make millions of lives improve for the better.

In trying to escape reality, he tried to create his own perfect world. He built Neverland, filled it with toys and imaginative worlds. He surrounded himself with the innocence of kids. He spent a fortune on numerous plastic surgeries to change his face and the image that he saw in the mirror.

Yet, he could not have outrun the emptiness that he felt within his soul. He could not escape the painful Present.

Regretably MJ did not develope the wisdom to know that everything is transient.

He did not have the insights to know the good he could have done with his fame and fortune. He did not have the blessings of families and friends who could have given him good advices that could have grounded him to the Now.

Now MJ is dead.

And even in death, there are fights over his children, his will and his legacy.

In death, he has achieved the status of a legend, becoming an icon of our times.

MJ, wherever you are, I wish you peace and hope that you are now in a happier place. May you find the freedom, the happiness and the wisdom that you were seeking when you were here on earth.

Be well, be happy and be at peace...