Talent

I write with mixed feelings about Michael Jackson's death. I found his more recent behaviour, and appearance, worrying. I am extremely interested in how those of us who pursue our talents and achieve excellence actually get there. But more interested in how they then live their lives once they have arrived - with satisfaction - what sustains them? Who 'looks after' them and nurtures their input and creativity? I continue to be fascinated by his talent and until his death I had never really looked closely at the lyrics of his songs. I wasn't aware of the humanitarian slant on much of his work and I'm moved by the words he wrote for songs like Man in the Mirror. It seems that more and more our most talented are falling by the way side. They are succumbing to the pressure and expectations either we, or they, place on them. The impact this man had is unquestionable. He moved millions. To move. To dance, to sing. Michael Jackson was hard to look at in the end - I, we, were worried by what we saw. I was saddened by the comparison I was making with images of a robust, beautiful young man in his prime at 21 (in the Billie Jean film clip) and the withered, contorted man at 50. The stories and accusations were, are, concerning. We may never know the truth. What we do know is that this man touched millions of people. Made them sing. Made them groove. He brought a great deal of joy to so many people. Who he really was and what he really wanted is open for debate. But like most of us, probably just love, connection, contribution and the satisfaction that comes with knowing we made a difference.