Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Today!!

I grew up with Michael Jackson in the 1970's (Ben was one of the first songs I remember...I was 3), the 1980's (I owned the Red Leather Jacket in Bad), the 1990's (He was so Smooth in Smooth Criminal) and the 2000's (Prayed for a comeback from all the crap he experienced this decade).

I know that Democratic Underground is not the normal place to write this but I wanted to share this story that has been on my mind all day. I will title it "Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Yesterday".
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First, there was a boy. He was young at that when he gave his music to the world. What a powerful voice for a little body. How can you explain the gift of talent that this little boy had. He could dance, sing and touch many ages with his words. Ben, a song about a young boy's relationship with his friend, a mice, was so touching the movie won an award. Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Yesterday.

What a lost childhood Michael J. had. His main purpose was to entertain us, the masses. He practiced to perfection. His "friends" for the most part was other adults instead of other real children his age. He continued to sing songs that was well past his age..."Stop, The Love You Save May Be Your Own". The amazing thing that when he belted these tunes out of his mouth, the public at large seem to forget that this was a 10-13 year old boy. Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Yesterday.

Moving on to his first attempts to step out of his brothers' eyes. "She's Out of My Life" at 16. Where the heck does a 16 year old sings with such passion. Sometimes, God gives us gifts as humans and we love them at first...disregard them later and throw them away afterward. Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Yesterday.

Michael J. did not stop there at his efforts to entertain us and that, he did. "Off The Wall" (the biggest selling R & B album of all time), Thriller (the biggest selling album of all time) and Bad (the album that inspired a kid like me to Buy that Jacket with most of my summer job money). Michael J. learned that with awesome dance moves along with his great voice and video's that started my MTV generation...he could make many more people love his music and the man behind the voice. Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Yesterday.

Moving on to Dangerous. Michael J. had already proved so much at this point. The talented kid turn to a mega-superstar and multiple award winner. He could have taken his money and ran. Instead, he GAVE instead of TOOK....in paying for surgeries that many people could not afford, giving large sums of money to children in Africa, speaking out against human rights abuses and so much more that we will learn in the years to come. Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven today.

The public would soon forget that in our efforts to have this young boy, turn man to entertain us, he did not have a opportunity or a chance to live the life that most of us in the world have done. Having a real childhood with real childhood friends, going to normal school...getting in trouble like most of us did as teens and young adults. When Michael J. tried to find his childhood being around children, the world did not accept it. Say what you will about the rumors and former charges....but Michael J. the one that GAVE to children and us as a whole, was accused of hurting them. He was truly hurt in the same aspect. Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Today.

Upon leaving this Earth and going to a place we will ALL visit someday, God asked Michael J., what good did you do for the world, my Son? Michael J. stated, I gave my life as you would have wanted it to be Dear Lord, for I could give others joy in though my music. I GAVE to others that were not as lucky as I to have the material fame, fortune and money that I had, an opportunity to live of be better, my years on Earth. I believe, Dear God, that I touched the world with my music but in the end, I am not sure..if it was enough. Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Today.

You see, I was vilified, I was Hurt, I was Talked About, I was laughed at, I was shunned and finally, I was broken. God said to him, Michael J., I understand what happened to you my Son. If you believed in ME you read in the Bible that similar events happen to me also. In turn, upon my Earthly death, masses of individuals truly believe in what I tried to give to them and still do from Heaven this Day....save the world from itself and give everlasting life. You my Son, touched the Earth with your music and served me well....despite the setbacks in your Earthly life.

God, then give Michael J. a touch of his hand on his forehead and welcomed Michael J. into the Kingdom of Heaven and stated, Many Will Be Touched By the Music You Have Left Behind. Come in and rest, My Son.....you have done well and did my mission for you on Earth. Michael J. Took a Trip to Heaven Today.

I truly enjoyed Michael Jackson and believe in my heart that he was send here to Earth by a higher power give us a gift of music that will live for many years to come. Michael J., please say Hello to my Daddy, Mommy, Grandma's, Grandpa's and my favorite cousin DeWayne. After your rest, you can sit, talk and maybe perform to the likes of Lena Horne, Sammy Davis, Jr., Fred Astaire, Bing Cosby, Marvin Gaye and many, many others that will appreciate your talent up there.

Too bad most of us left here on Earth did not truly know the gifts you gave to us....until it was too late to help you! Hopefully, some of us will take a look at "The Man in the Mirror" and make a change in ourselves and how we treat others.

Rest in Peace Michael J. Be with the Angels in Heaven Now!!!

Thank you for helping through my grief, and it is profound... I'm actually a total mess. Thank you again.

I had the jacket too!

Satan has all the best musicians

;)

And that's it. The rest of that is a nice fantasy but that's all it is. If it makes you feel better to believe it than I suppose that's fine, but let's not try to make it anything more than it is. A comforting fairy tale.

Did typing that give you a hard-on?

Great example post for freepers to use against the non-religious.

without your condescending comments. I swear, some people here are no better then the crazy religious right.

condescension is pure and utter rudeness.

Maybe I just missed other times when they were out in rare form since I'm still a newbie.

more with your sentiments.

...except without the fiddle contest.

...and no devil.

...and it takes place in Heaven and not Georgia.

...okay, it's not like "The Devil Went Down to Georgia" at all. Still, cute story!

:thumbsup:

I saw the thread title and thought we'd lost Michael J. Fox as well.

Haven't been here for awhile, but did pop in the last couple days to catch the vile, hateful comments on Michael Jackson. I think I understand, but personally I've spent two days reflecting on the special place he had in my life.

It started before he died--the night I popped in here to read a thread on a DUer turning 40. Down thread was a post listing all the famous people who shared this person's birthday, and my first thought was, "Michael Jackson turns 51 in August," something I've thought every one of my 51 years on this planet.

I am the oldest in a family of five white children and you can probably guess what our last name is. Kids being cruel creatures sometimes, began referring to us as a group; and it wasn't meant to be a complement. It didn't help that I had large lips, and long frizzy black hair--something I laugh about now, with the advent of people like Angelina Jolie and collagen injections. I'm finally 'growing into my lips' and relish the thought of not being a thin-lipped old lady. The N-word was thrown my way many times. Sometimes it bothered me, but not too bad; my very best GF was the only black girl in town, and I thought she was beautiful.

Sixth grade lunchtime we were allowed a room in the basement where we could use an old phonograph. We brought our 45s and instead of eating, we spent lunch doing a line dance to the song 'ABC'. I don't know if this dance was universal, or if it was our own--two steps to the side, clap, two steps back, clap. It was the one time in my life my uncoordinated, left-handed self managed to do a dance correctly, and if I messed up my homemade maxi-skirt disguised it.

Then came the movie 'Ben' with the song of the same name. Over the years when I've felt lonely, I've found myself singing it in my head. I found it on Sci-Fi channel a couple weekends ago. I thought how lame it was, and wondered why I thought it was so beautiful back then--it was the song, not the movie.

Enter late teens and Michael was like a guilty pleasure, music you didn't admit to your friends that you liked--they couldn't see your feet moving under the table or fingers tapping in your coat pocket anyway. In the 80's and deep into the bar scene, I felt vindicated when 'Billy Jean' came on the jukebox, and watched guys walk in the door. They suddenly stood straighter, chins higher. Hands out of their pockets, they bopped in the door; they were cool.

I spent my early 20s barefoot and pregnant. My second daughter was born on August 29th, 1979. I excitedly told her one year who she shared her birthday with and she replied, "That freak?"

For me it's what's in a name, moments in time, and synchronicity. Michael Jackson really was the first to bridge that racial divide; the cruelty of children tells me so.

And with that I return to my thoughts and a Billy Jean earworm.

and open arms. lovely post.
I dont call it anything, but I know too much now to not believe in something thats so filled with joy there are no words in 3 dimensions to describe it. yes, he is in joy now.
I grew up in Gary Indiana. my dad knew Joe Jackson slightly when he worked out there.
For all the screw ups MJ did in his life, he left this world with some of the most incredible music ever made.
I know he isnt being 'judged', he is just being welcomed.
thanks for posting.

thank you for sharing your experience with Michael
and the hope and faith you have for him in the afterlife.
My hope is that his soul is finally finding the true peace
and acceptance he so richly deserves.