Never goes away It remains in the heart Perhaps held at bay Only to surface On another dark day The journey to wholeness May seem endless When you’re feeling hopeless Lost and forgotten Your dreams have escaped you What now is your purpose?
Deep longing Unfulfilled
Be gentle with yourself When in its grip Be kind Take your time And try to understand This pain will guide you To a new place and time Where a light is hiding Waiting to be found It was placed in you at your birth It is the expression Of your beauty Your gift Your true worth
Deep longing Unfulfilled
Grief and sorrow over what is lost Must be honored first Whatever the cost The tide of emotions Inevitable pain Creates a void Leaves a space For something else To take its place Trust that the answers will come Filling that space That hole in your soul Your Godself awaits Joy and passion Will find expression Igniting the light That’s been hiding within
Deep longing Unfulfilled
Always remember The emptiness inside Make a vow right now To never forget Not to dwell Or stay in the darkness But to find compassion And share your light When others are held In its endless grip
Deep longing Unfulfilled
Comes full circle Its purpose revealed When Love is shared Given away This Gift of self Dims the pain Glowing heartspace Returns to you Sustained by Love’s everlasting embrace Its promise yields
"One thing I've learned, as a good friend once told me, 'God doesn't waste a hurt.' I don't believe God causes hurtful things to happen to us; in fact, I believe He's right there with us in our darkest hour crying as deeply as we are over our pain and suffering. I do believe God provides opportunities for us to find and receive His Love in the midst of our deepest sorrow. And He also brings us to healing solutions and discovering ways we can use our experience to help others." ~ C. Burgess
Thank you, dear Michael
For sharing your magic
Your wonderment of all things sacred
The moon and the stars
The mysteries of the universe
Your appreciation for beauty and innocence
And your childlike awe at the miracles of nature
As if you were seeing it all for the very first time
Thank you, dear Michael
For inviting me to be a child again
To experience the reverence forgotten
To hold a caterpillar in the palm of my hand
And giggle at the way it tickles
To imagine what lies beyond the stars
And to know that anything is possible wherever you are
Thank you, dear Michael
For the gift of your light and your love
Your heart and your soul
Have become a part of me
Thank you for helping me to feel again
For bringing me back to my heartspace
Reminding me that all that really matters in life
Comes from the heavens above
That music is the only true language of love
And all of creation sings her song
Thank you, dear Michael
For sharing your enchantment
For making it possible to dream
To believe in magic and moonbeams
And to know what you know…
That everything is exactly as it was created to be
And all we need do is open our hearts
To see with new vision what is already there
Thank you, dear Michael
For your message to a world in sorrow
An evening’s sunset
A colorful rainbow
Or a shooting star
To remind us that you are always here
And even from afar
You are guiding us toward a better tomorrow
Occasionally one of Michael's songs which I have listened to faithfully over the last year and a half will suddenly take on a new meaning for me as the lyrics resonate with something deep in my soul - something that decides it is time to come into the light and make itself known. Lately, I've been listening to the album "Michael" almost exlusively since it came out in December. I can't seem to get enough of it! The more I listen to it, the more I want to hear it all over again. As with all of Michael's music, there just seems to be something about it that you want to absorb into every cell of your being. The very essence of him - his message, his love for us and his concern for humanity - is present in every single song! The lyrics, the beat, the melody, and of course, his amazing voice in its every unique expression pulls you in and holds you there. I love to sing along too, so each time I hear a song I pick up a few more lyrics that I'm able to recite along with him, until I know it well enough to belt it out confidently, sometimes singing harmony and other times the melody depending on the range of the parts. (Michael can reach notes much higher than I can!) It is only when I have learned the entire song that I can truly enjoy the experience of being his vocal partner in a duet made just for Michael and me! :)
But I digress...
In recent weeks, I've been particularly drawn to "Keep Your Head Up" and "Best of Joy." From the comments published in the CD cover, we know that Best of Joy is a song Michael wrote for all of us. And, of all the songs on the album, it is the one that was written and recorded most recently - in early 2009. It warms my heart every time I hear him sing "I am the moonlight, You are the spring, Our love's a sacred thing, You know I always will love you...
I am forever, We are forever!" God bless him! It's almost as if he knew we were going to need to hear those words after he was gone. In fact, many of his songs are like that - even those from decades past. There's just something about much of his music over the years that feels as if it was created in preparation for this time, you know? Inviting us into a love relationship with him that would last forever, and inviting us to join him in his mission to heal the world.
"Keep Your Head Up" also feels like such a song. To me, it's not just about a single mother struggling to live day-to-day or paycheck-to-paycheck. The message is directed at any one of us who may feel uncertain, overwhelmed, lost or hopeless at any time in our lives, but especially on this journey with Michael. It's a message from him to give us strength to keep going when we may feel like giving up; because he knew the challenges we would face in attempting to make a change in this world, and he wanted to give us something to lift our spirits and bring us hope, encouraging us not to give up. He briefly mentions the plight of the planet and adds "It's never too late - just lean on me... Keep your head up, Don't give up today." And his final plea to all of us "I need your love, I need you now, I need your light right here today, I need you now!" while the chorus is singing about the sun shining it's light on us today, tells me he is urgently pleading with us to stay strong and to let our lights shine in the world... NOW! Had Michael been able to finish this song himself, I believe this is where his voice would have increased in intensity to reflect the urgency of the message. As it stands, the words speak for themselves and deliver the message just as powerfully: He needs us to be present and actively doing something... anything to make a contribution toward healing this planet.
The chorus of this anthem gives us a clue as to how we are to accomplish this:
Keepin' your head up to the sky
Keepin' your mind up stay alive Give me your wings so we can fly
Keepin' your head up to the sky
We can just rise up, tell me now Give me your wings so we can fly
Looking up to the sky has become a daily habit of mine. I do it every chance I get. I have found many treasures there and I always feel a strong connection to Michael when I do. The moon and the stars, cloud formations, sunbeams, rainbows, sunsets and sunrises, birds in flight... these things all carry a message or a special meaning that only a true Michael lover would understand. Michael himself found much inspiration in looking to the sky while considering all the possibilities in the universe that lie within our vision... and beyond. He was spiritually in tune with all of it. It nourished him and kept his creativity fresh and divinely dazzling. I, too, have felt this sense of connection and nourishment and have written several poems inspired by the things I've witnessed there. To me, the sky is God's canvas to paint as He chooses with colors and images of things and concepts that many an artist, writer and poet have found fascinating - whether for pure and simple enjoyment of the beauty of it or to possibly relay a message hidden in the context of the art. Metaphors abound if one is open to recognize them, and one can easily be caught in the spell of love, power, light, majesty, and awe-inspired story as told by the Creator of Heaven and Earth. It's where magic lives. I really believe Michael exists there. It's only natural, considering everything we know about him and his soul. He was and is, above everything else, an artist to his very core - a creative genius unlike any other we've ever known. His own unique expression through his art will never be duplicated, and the lengths to which he explored and was willing to go in order to take us on his adventure were unlimited!
In the verses of the chorus above, he encourages us to keep our heads up to the sky (where we will find our strength and inspiration.) And when he sings "Give me your wings so WE can fly"... he means just that. He needs our help to continue his work in the world ("I can't do it by myself... gonna take somebody's help"), and he's given us all the tools we need in his music. He holds us up with his words and his love, but he does not enable us to depend on him. He wants us to shine our own light in the world, because he knows we all have that capability. He lifts us up to help us find our own light, spread our own wings and tap into our own power to fly, and he will be flying right there with us. His message is that together, with our combined light and love, we can accomplish great things!
I'm the kind of person who has always been most comfortable hanging out in the background. Being a cog that helps the machine function effortlessly is what I do best. Taking care of logistics, details, paperwork, and anything else that needs doing in order to make a project run smoothly has been my job... in my career and in my personal life. Although my high school counselor said I was a leader among my peers, I didn't see myself that way. And, until recently, I didn't see myself as the creative type either. Oh, I had creative skills and ideas which I never hesitated to share with those who were 'in charge.' I didn't think twice about allowing them to take full credit for my ideas. To me, it was safer that way because if the idea failed, it would be on their shoulders, not mine! Nice cop-out, eh? I had an unreasonable fear of criticism, and I would be terribly embarrassed to be caught in the spotlight, even if I were to be caught doing something remarkable. But mostly I feared making a mistake for all to see because I'm a perfectionist (much like Michael) and any little error made in front of others would surely send me running to the hills to hide out in shame for the rest of my life! (I told you my fear was unreasonable.) So..... for most of my life, I played it safe. And because of this, I haven't accomplished nearly as much as I probably could have out of sheer terror of getting it wrong. Nor have I been able to reach outside of myself to help others for the same reason. This is where being a perfectionist pulled me down, unlike Michael whose perfectionism allowed him to soar to extraordinary heights and shine his light far beyond anything we could ever imagine. He is a beacon of brilliant light to all of us who have experienced pain and hardship in our lives and have allowed it to hold us back. By his example of courage and perseverance, and with his unconditional love for each of us, he has inspired us to spread our wings and fly... to let our lights shine before others!
Not long after this journey with Michael began, I had a dream that Michael came to the place where I work and was going to put on a concert there. Before the concert started, I was busily working in the background doing what I do best, making sure all the necessary things were in place so that everything would run smoothly. I remember distinctly the moment Michael arrived and he began warming up on stage. I stopped what I was doing long enough to watch this musical genius at work from across the room. Even in my dream he had a presence about him that was indescribable - I could feel it - and right now as I'm typing this, I am in tears remembering what it felt like to be in the same room with him. I was in awe!! And I stayed just far enough away and slightly out of sight so he wouldn't see me watching (or so I thought.) I would have been horribly embarrassed if he'd even looked my way! Soon, I busied myself again with my work and I didn't notice when he came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. I knew it was him before I even turned around. I caught my breath and held it there for a moment (very much like the breath Michael took in "The Way You Make Me Feel" video when he first saw the beautiful girl - I love that moment!) I summoned all my courage, composed myself and turned around to face him. He was stunning! Right there in front of me! And my knees felt like they were going to buckle under at any moment. But I remained surprisingly calm and waited for him to talk first. He then invited me to come up front with him. He asked me to introduce him when the concert started and he wanted me to join him in singing the opening song! I was flabbergasted by his request, wondering how he even knew that I could sing, and all I could say was... "What about my job? I have work to do." And he said, "Give it to her", pointing to a woman across the room who looked a little lost, as if she was wanting something to do. "She needs something to do and she can handle it just fine." So, I said "Alright, as long as you don't make me dance!" and, after giving the woman a few instructions, I joined Michael on stage. I woke up about this time in the dream. I don't remember doing the introduction or singing with him, but that wasn't the point. The point of this dream, for me, was that he was inviting me to share my light up front for all to see. He seemed to see something in me that I didn't see in myself, and simply because he noticed, he gave me permission to shine... without fear... to spread my wings and fly!!! And the fact that he knew I could do this without even knowing me, gave me the courage to do it. He took me out of my comfortable place of hiding in the background where it was safe and he lifted me to a place of prominence where my gifts could be shared with others, bringing joy and inspiration just as he has done his entire life. This dream represents everything he has done for me since he cracked my heart wide open in the summer of 2009.
Now, all this talk about shining and flying brings me to the reason I started writing this piece to begin with! After contemplating the lyrics to these two beautiful and very meaningful songs, "Best of Joy" and "Keep Your Head Up", I knew it was time for me to share a couple of poems I'd written in the last year about flying. The first one "If I Could Fly" reminds me of "Best of Joy" simply because it's a joyful and playful piece. One that reflects a feeling of pure joy and abandon at imagining what it would feel like to be able to fly. I wrote it in July of 2010 when I was on one of my ocean retreats as I watched the seagulls playing in the air currents on a very windy day at the beach. I used to have dreams about flying and, to this day, I still remember what it felt like to soar above the earth. It was incredible! Somewhere along the path of my life, I stopped having those dreams, and this poem was, in a sense, a re-capturing of that feeling of being able to soar and command the air in flight.
Photo taken by C. Burgess at Brookings Harbor, Oregon coast
If I Could Fly
If I could fly
Like a seagull flies
Dipping and swooping
Playing with the wind
Surfing
On a wave of air
With total abandon
Never a care
Perched atop a rock at sea
I would plan my strategy
Which way to go
To get the best lift
Make the wind carry me to the sky
Then swoop to the ground
Like falling off a cliff
Gliding with precision
So close to the ground
Like an airplane
Coming in for a landing
A roller coaster ride
On a windy day
It’s by far the best time to play
Going with the flow
I’d swing and I'd sway
Let the wind have its way
Like a kite with no strings
This must be
What it feels like
To be totally and utterly free!
The second poem "Just Do It!" reminds me more of "Keep Your Head Up" in that it's about taking a leap of faith - without thinking about it too much - just taking off and flying, allowing myself to soar to the heights God intended. I wrote this poem at my ocean retreat in December 2010. I was eating breakfast at the resort where I was staying, watching the seagulls take off from their perch on the rooftop of a nearby building. I had been feeling somewhat "stuck" in recent weeks leading up to this retreat and I was looking to find some answers and fresh inspiration to move forward on this journey. Watching these seagulls take off without a thought, simply because it was natural to them, is what inspired this piece.
Just Do It!
Up high, so high
I can’t even see the sky
‘Cause I’m in it!
There is no limit to what I can do
If I believe…
Just do it!
Impossible, you say?
I don’t think so
There is always a way
Turned on by the power of love
I can do anything
Once I choose to move
Into the groove
Thanks to you, dear one
Your love lights up the sky
Even on a cloudy day
I don’t need to ask why
Birds in flight
Show me how it’s done
They just take off
Without a thought!
It’s natural to them, you see
God gave them wings
To fly above me
To me he gave a spirit to fly
Above the clouds
So high in the sky
So I could see the world below
Its beauty and pain
So I would know
My heart and soul say
Step aside, make some room
For love to enter the atmosphere
No more doom and gloom!
Up high, so high
I can’t even see the sky
‘Cause I’m in it!
There is no limit to what I can do
If I believe…
Just do it!
My hope and prayer is that we will ALL continue to experience Michael's "Best of Joy" on this journey, being the very best that we can be for God, for Michael and for ourselves - and also sharing our light right here today and spreading our wings so WE can fly together with him! If we continue to do this... I mean really DO this, not just talk about it... we will achieve his ultimate dream, heading toward that bliss which Michael has written so much about, doing our part to make this world a better place... for God... for Michael... and for the children.
Those of us who know
We who see
We understand
We’re right where we’re supposed to be
In the light of day
In the sun’s brilliant rays
And in the moon’s glow
We just know what we know
The truth, it is written in the air
We can see it, we can feel it
No longer a mystery
It’s been already there
Our vision has changed
You see, rearranged
By the One who reflects
All our wishes and dreams
Now we see things we’ve never seen before
‘Cause that child came along and opened the door
To our sheltered places
Our comfortable spaces
Shadows danced across the floor
And for the first time we could see their faces
He shined his light in the dark
And showed us the way
He said, now you will know
What I’ve already known
And you won’t need to ask
It’s been already said
Your vision has changed
You see, rearranged
By the One who reflects
All your wishes and dreams
When you look to the moon
On this cold winter’s night
You already know, my love is in its light
A precious gift will soon be revealed
In the glow that surrounds the moon this night
Trust what you see, trust what you feel
You know what’s right
Your hopes and your dreams
They are already there in the circle of life
Take care not to fear
Take care not to doubt
Take care not to question
What this is about
You already know
What you know in your heart
My light has shown you
The way through the dark
Now you see things you’ve never seen before
‘Cause that child came along and opened the door
Your vision has changed
It's been rearranged
By the One who reflects
All your wishes and dreams
Trust what you see, trust what you feel
In the glow that surrounds the moon this night
You need only believe
You know what’s right
Your hopes and your dreams
They are already there in the circle of life
Circle of Life - The Poem: How it came to be... This poem came to be after I had received the wonderful news last week that my daughter and son-in-law are expecting their 4th child! This news by itself would be evidence of the wonderful miracle of life and God’s gift to us; however, there’s more to this story than first meets the eye. You see, their 3rd child, Asher, didn’t make it to full term. For unknown reasons, he died mid-pregnancy and his two older brothers, Aidyn and Avery, would never have the privilege of playing with their little brother whom they were so excited to meet. As with my first two grandsons, I was with my daughter, Kendra and her husband, Matyas, at the hospital on October 1, 2009, for the delivery of our little doll, Asher. We knew he was not alive, so it was a very emotionally intense experience for all of us, but especially Kendra. As she brought forth this precious little being that her body had so lovingly caressed for 4½ months, but who was not to be in this world, she also lost Hope. I saw the light go out in her soul and, as her mother, I felt so helpless to do anything for her. I couldn’t take her pain away. It’s not the same as kissing a 'boo-boo' and making it all better as you do for them when they are young. This was a deep, deep pain that she had to work through herself to come to terms with her grief and anger over this unexplainable loss. I lent my love and support and faith in whatever ways I could in the weeks and months that followed; but, as any mother of a grown child knows, you have to allow them space and time to work things out for themselves - to find their own answers and their own peace in their own time. They may not realize it at the time, but it’s how we love them.
Kendra and Matyas were undecided for some time after October of 2009 as to whether they would try for another child. There was even a period of time when it looked as if it wasn't going to happen. For a while Kendra's grief was intensified by not only the loss of little Asher, but the loss of the possibility of another child. Well, as you know, there IS another child on the way! On the evening of January 17, Kendra shared the good news with me when I was at their house for a visit. I was thrilled, of course, but also filled with concern for her and how she was handling this emotionally. She and I talked for a long time that night about worry, doubt and fear and all I could say to her was "God knows what He's doing... please trust in that!" I was afraid to say "everything's going to be fine" because I really didn't know that, and I didn't want to assure her of something that was yet uncertain. I have no way of predicting the outcome any more than she does, but what I can do is share my faith with her...so I did.
A little later when I left to go home, I stepped outside and, looking up as I always do to find our little moonwalker, I noticed the nearly full moon shining brilliantly through a porthole in the sky. There was a HUGE ring of dense fog around the moon, larger than any I had ever seen. Inside the ring the sky was so clear and bright, I could see all the stars surrounding the moon. It was as if the moon had burned off the fog to create this porthole so I could see it...just for that moment (it was gone by the time I got home.) The sky outside the ring was foggy so the only clear spot was inside the ring and the whole picture looked 3-dimentional! I was mesmerized by this beautiful scene and I stood there for several minutes just absorbing its magic. The first thing that came to mind as I was looking at this miracle of nature was "Circle of Life"... it was HUGE and it was complete, the full circle representing eternity and the ongoing reproduction of life. When I realized what that meant, I started to cry and, looking at the circle again it felt like a big hug...something I'd been asking for in my prayers lately. It was wrapping its arms around me and making me feel warm and secure on this cold winter's night. A beautiful gift of love - like everything was coming full circle and I knew it was going to be alright!
I drove home feeling as if I wanted to call Kendra immediately and tell her of this experience and the powerful sense of assurance I had received. But there was a nagging feeling of concern too that was hanging over me at the same time. I didn't want to give her a false sense of security, because I knew that I still didn't have concrete answers...just a feeling. I also realized that "everything's going to be alright" could mean a variety of things and didn't necessarily guarantee a healthy, full-term baby of the desired gender! I decided to sleep on it and see how I felt in the morning.
When I arrived home I noticed the ring around the moon was gone, so I went inside and spent some time on my computer checking messages and reading over a couple of my blog posts from around Christmas time. When I read the December 17 post, "A Christmas Story: Yours and Mine", I was moved all over again by the story in the song "Old City Bar." It was somewhat related to this 'encounter' I'd had with the circle around the moon. http://mjreflecdtionsheart2heart.blogspot.com/2010/12/christmas-story-mine-and-yours.html
Soon after reading this post, I fell asleep in front of my computer and woke up around 4:00 a.m. with these words in my head: "Those of us who know, Those of us who see, Those of us who understand, We're right where we're supposed to be." That's when I wrote "The Circle of Life". A few days later, I sent it to Kendra, telling her about how the poem came to me and my feeling that everything was going to be alright, adding this:
"Now, what that means, I don't know. I just know we need to trust in God's timing and His love for us no matter what. That's all God asks us to do. If we can let go of our doubts and fears, then we will see that everything in our lives (yes, even the pain and suffering) holds a gift. Being able to trust when you've been hurt so deeply isn't easy... I know, and God knows too. Letting go and handing over the reigns when you have felt betrayed is probably one of the hardest things you'll ever do! It's not that you don't have ANY control over the outcome...you can do everything in your power as a human being to take care of yourself and seek the medical and emotional support that you need to ensure having a healthy pregnancy and to increase your chances of having a healthy baby. This is something you do very well, my dear, and I have every confidence you will do it again this time. All the rest is prayer and trust in God's love for you and your family.
"I knew right away I wanted to share this poem with you, but again I hesitated only because my own doubts started to creep in after some time had passed (as they often do!) and I didn't want to give you 'false hope'. After a little more time, I thought 'There is no such thing as FALSE Hope! Hope is HOPE... and Hope is good! Hope is one of God's wonderful gifts - if we don't have Hope, we have nothing!' It is true that sometimes our hopes are not realized, but that is where the trust comes in...and the believing in God's love no matter what.
"So, I've listened to that little voice inside and decided to send you this poem. I hope this touches you, honey, and gives you comfort and HOPE! What this poem did for me was to confirm my own intuition, the feelings I had when I looked at the moon and the words "Circle of Life" came to me and I felt that warm hug of assurance that everything was going to be alright. So I'm passing that assurance on to you." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
My friends - Now you know....the ressst of the story! (as Paul Harvey used to say)
I am filled with Hope for a beautiful healthy new baby in our family! Please join me in that Hope and in continuing our mission to create a better world for our children and grandchildren to live in! Trust your intuition and use it to be the best that you can be at whatever talents God has gifted to you! And always...put some Love back into the world each day, as Michael so faithfully did throughout his entire life. The Circle of Life continues - generation after generation. And if each generation can help to make things just a little bit better, someday this world may realize Michael's dream of peace, love and joy for all the world's children!
Light of my life
Hope of my soul
Desire of my heart
Who knew it would be you?
And that you would be who you are?
To the world
To the children
To the heavens and the earth
Of Sacred worth
In communion with all that you are
Mystic... Shaman... Angel of God
Love personified
Dreams electrified
High art in human form
Mystery of our time
Power sent forth to heal the world
Dancing the dream
You endured such pain
Body and blood, heart and soul
Given to heal our sickness
Would take its toll
Our shadow was to blame
Now, we bow our heads in shame
Who knew it would be you?
Brilliant light cast upon the earth
Touching souls
Collecting and gathering
We, your children, into the fold
Before you would exit
Leaving us to be
Your messengers of love
To carry on your dream
Of a world filled with peace
Joy and harmony
Who knew it would be Us?
We are your children
Your chosen ones
Are we up to the task?
Do we have what it takes?
Do we even need to ask?
It's time to take the world by storm
To make truth and justice simply the norm
No more questions
No more doubts
It's time to teach the world
What this thing is all about
With love at the core of all we do
We'll be your voice
We'll tell them...
It was You!
It was you who believed in us all along
That's why you never stopped singing your song
You knew it would be us
Your love was the fuel
Igniting this fire
You knew we'd make a fuss
And carry on your desire
Mystic... Shaman... Angel of God
Love personified
Dreams electrified
Light of our lives
Hope of our souls
Power sent forth to heal the world
Who knew it would be you?
Did someone tell you You weren't good enough Belittling and bullying to make you feel small Is that why you thought you should pass it along
Reclaiming your power to make you feel tall
Daddy dear, What did you fear?
Forever a prisoner of your own mistakes Losing hopes and dreams When others held your fate Your life coming apart at the seams
Daddy dear, What did you fear?
Did I get in the way Of everything you hoped to be one day Was it my light, my passion, my love for life Did I challenge you to look in the mirror Did my radiance cause you fright
Daddy dear, What did you fear?
The legacy of your forefathers Passed down through the ages Being threatened by a new generation Calling your authority into question
Daddy dear, What did you fear?
Loss of control in a world that was changing Turning to love Hearts and souls rearranging Boomers coming of age to work it out Standing for justice We would sing and shout
Daddy dear, What did you fear?
Was it love, peace or equal rights Freedom of speech, truth or justice When we got tough 'cause we'd had enough And we wouldn't give up the fight
Daddy dear, What did you fear?
Did you not understand God's purpose God's plan For a world filled with love, no more fear God's dream was in our hands, daddy dear! Don't you know there's only one way Truth and Love are here to stay
Daddy dear, Why do you still fear?
I pray that you will find your peace Forever held in God's loving embrace Don't worry 'bout me I'm finding my way Through the clutter of doubt In a world gone astray It's time to finally make that change For a better tomorrow For the whole human race
Daddy dear, Have no more fear!
Your trials are coming to an end I forgive you, daddy And I'm moving on For God has given me a true love friend
In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. ~ Mother Teresa
Michael Jackson: King of Pop; worldwide mega superstar; musical & artistic genius; phenomenal dancer and singer; greatest entertainer of all time; creator and producer of the largest selling album of all time; trailblazer; trendsetter; fashion leader; spiritual messenger; love guru; global humanitarian; philanthropist; donator of hundreds of millions of dollars to charities around the world; winner of more awards than anybody…ever! I’m certain I could come up with many more adjectives and titles to describe this man-wonder who left behind the largest following of anyone…ever…to continue doing his work in the world.
One of the things that impressed me the most about Michael Jackson is the way he never stopped pushing the boundaries, striving to go beyond the limits of anything anyone had done before, including himself! Great things? That’s just about all this man did for his entire life! From the time he was in diapers dancing and moving to the rhythm of the washing machine, until his untimely death last year at the age of 50 when he was poised to give us the greatest show …ever! He gave us nothing short of greatness, perfection, and magic in everything he did.
And he loved at the same level! No matter what the challenges he faced or the ridicule hurled at him from all directions, Michael Jackson never gave up his belief in the power of love. He gave all of himself in order to show us how to be the kind of people who could make a difference in this world. He believed in our ability to heal the world and he believed in us. What a remarkable gift!
Those of us who have experienced an awakening since Michael’s death last June have felt compelled to find ways to carry on his work. Not unlike his dedicated long-time fans, we heard the message, we received the invitation, we recognize the need and we are determined to keep his legacy of love alive. We know Michael’s dream of a world with no fear, no hurt or sorrow…for the children. We know that he lived for the children and that he needs us to take his place - to do everything we can to make his dream come true.
Michael’s love has inspired the discovery of new talents and breathed new life into old ones for many of us. We have been so moved by the staggering scope of gifts he shared with us while he was here, that we have achieved heights we never dreamed possible with our own gifts and dreams. Sometimes I ask myself if I am worthy of such a treasure, and I have to say, I’ve had my doubts. I have spent a significant amount of time on this 14 month adventure vacillating between feeling bold, confident, capable, and worthy, to then wondering if Michael and God really knew what they were doing when they recruited me! I ask myself, “How in the world am I going to do anything big enough to make a difference on this great planet? Could it be really me you’re calling to do this tremendous work? What’s the catch? Is there a punch line to this huge cosmic joke?”
I have struggled sometimes to understand what I was being called to do while on this journey of discovery about Michael. Many of my earlier poems reflect that struggle, because I just couldn't understand how little ol' me could make a difference - especially when compared to the difference Michael made. Nobody will ever come near to making the impact he did, just by the sheer number of people whose hearts he touched all around the world! If I allow myself to think about it too much, it becomes very overwhelming!
Well, along this path, I have learned a few things here and there about this recruitment business and I have come to realize that, first of all, I can't say 'no' to this calling - it's virtually impossible! My whole being has been changed forever and it's like my entire life - everything, good & bad, that's happened leading up to this point, was all in preparation for this moment in time! This is where I'm supposed to be and what I'm supposed to be doing from now on. This Is It! All I have to do is remain open to receive divine guidance and inspiration from God and Michael. (They're in this together, you know!) It's not too difficult when I put my mind to it and when I invest my heart and soul into seeking the truth. Every single time I pray about what I am to do to help heal the world, answers come to me, usually within 24 hours. And I know when it's the right thing for me - it just fits, you know? Like Cinderella's glass slipper - it will only fit one foot, and you know when it slides right on without effort, there is no question about it. It's crystal clear.
And these things that he lays before me - they are not small. They may look small to the outside observer, but they feel huge to me, because they are each and every one a very precious gift for me to experience the joy of doing something significant that touches another. Something that will make a difference in the bigger picture, whether it's for one individual or for many. By doing one "small" thing, it grows and blossoms as it ripples out to many others who catch the wave of love and are touched, directly or indirectly, by the light which is cast from its origin. Nothing we do with great love is small! That's the bottom line. And I believe that's what Michael was here to teach us.
There is also great power in numbers. There have been times when group projects have come to my attention and I will lend my own individual abilities to help put it together. One small part, but a team effort. Each part is just as important as the next, and if any part were left out, it could not be done. Working together on a mutually inspired project increases its value and its impact. As Michael sang so passionately in the powerful song We've Had Enough, "There's nothing that can't be done if we raise our voice as one!" When I think of what Michael left for us - all the people around the world who love him and believe in his goodness - we have a rich and fertile foundation of many who share a common belief and a common goal to carry on Michael’s work in the world, to make a difference in his name. Altogether, we are a powerful force for good which is bound to have a significant impact!
When individuals work on projects alone, they can share their ideas through the use of modern technology, providing inspiration for others to do the same. I have a friend who happens to be gifted not only in making beautiful videos about Michael, but also in coming up with creative ideas for projects she can do in her own community. I was intrigued with a particular project she worked on recently when she shared her video with me, showing what she had done. I was so impressed with this “small” project which was done with such great love, I knew immediately that this was something I would love to do, and I am planning to do it very soon in my little corner of Oregon. I also have made plans with another MJ friend in Oregon to meet half-way between our two communities and spend a day together spreading Michael’s love in this very special way.
My friend, Wednesday55, has given me permission to share her video with you here. You may have already seen it as it has recently been featured on the Tribute Portrait website and has been spreading among the MJ fan community on the internet. Take a look:
Now, doesn’t that just fill your heart with warmth and love? This idea - sharing pieces of Michael's heart & soul - his words, which were one of the most precious gifts he left for us - so simple, yet so profound!! What a wonderful tribute to him and a beautiful way to give some very blessed people an opportunity to have a glimpse into Michael's true heart and to feel his love! I just know Michael is grinning from ear to ear over this wonderful project being passed along from one to another and spreading with love around the world! By doing this, people who may not otherwise have noticed are unexpectedly receiving the gift of his brilliant light - his Divine inspiration!! How divine is that?
Sometimes we may feel that the “small” things we do are insignificant in the bigger picture, but when we perform a random act of kindness from our hearts with great love, as in this project, and when we share it with others via email, facebook, twitter, YouTube - any of the mediums available to us - there starts the ripple, and the wave of love & light spreads far and wide. Imagine for a moment the people who will stumble upon these little gems. Maybe one of the messages is found by someone who needed some extra love that day, or who had been searching for something to add meaning to their life, but hadn't quite found it yet. Upon reading this message from Michael, their hearts are touched by his words and they decide to find out more about this man, just as we all have done, and thus begins their journey back to their own heart and to a place where they can help others too. This is not small! This is how we as individuals and as a collective force for goodness and love, will make a difference in the world - and that is bigger than the moon and the stars!
Small things done with great love ARE great things!!
We don’t always know what form it will take Whisper of creation sends an invitation, Makes the call God’s message delivered to seal our fate Asks us to serve, to give it our all
Can’t ignore the call from The Man It’s the real deal, part of the plan Of what we are to be and do An amazing gift for me and you
The wind holds the clue Holy Spirit, life anew Speaks to your soul from heaven above Wrapped in a blanket of love
Listen carefully and you will know The greatest show in all of creation Is yours to unfold Your light to behold!
God will take your hand, never leave you alone As you make your stand and set the tone For love and peace and harmony The world is your stage for eternity
You may wonder, how can one person be Everything to all humanity?
By joining hands with others One cause, one message, its strength will grow It’s all for LOVE, don’t you know?
Plain and simple, it shouldn’t be hard Love is the answer to all that we are This world needs it right from the start Good for the soul, feeds the heart
Creation sings to one and all The message is LOVE This is the call!
Those eyes They hypnotize They give me a clue Of what’s inside of you
Your heart, your soul, your vision, your dreams Love, playfulness, plans and schemes The parts of you the world couldn’t see Are all right here in front of me
The depth, the meaning of your life here on Earth Gives me pause for reflection, what of your birth? God planted in you the brightest light A gift so rare, we couldn’t quite Understand it, you see, you caught us off guard Challenged our thinking, shone your light in the dark
Those eyes, they tell a story Heaven’s purpose, your wisdom, God’s glory Dancing the dream your entire life Born to amuse, to inspire, to delight You instilled a passion in us we never knew It was there all along, just waiting for you
Love comes through those eyes from your soul Giving warmth, compassion, endurance, to extol Our flame ignited from the spark within By your love, new life is given!
Our burdens are taken, absorbed by you Exchanged for freedom to be and do All that God has intended for us To change the world, our mission or bust!
Those eyes, they do inspire They hypnotize, set my heart on fire!
