Gone But Not Forgotten

Michael Jackson once said, ~I am always writing a potpourri of music. I want to give the world escapism through the wonder of great music and to reach the masses.~ The man, the legend, the "KIng of Pop" without a doubt is considered a pop culture icon who most certainly made great music and was able to reach the masses. For many of us, we grew up either listening on the radio, watching on tv, or live in concert performing songs from his days in the Jackson 5 to his stellar career as an accomplished solo artist. Michael Jackson was and will always be considered an absolute juggernaut as he left his mark on the music/dance industry so much so that his influence will continue to reverberate for future potential artists who for the most part look to MJ as their inspiration to sing and/or dance.

Let me ask you this question, can you name your top 5 most favorite Michael Jackson songs of all time or is it impossible to just pick 5 because there are so many to choose from? Thriller, Billie Jean, Beat It, The Way You Make Me Feel, and I'm Bad are my top 5 songs that I enjoyed listening to as a kid back in the day. Now as an adult, things haven't changed as I continue to enjoy listening to those songs as they are still able to make an impact after all these years. Why? Essentially, it harkens back to fond childhood memories as I sang along to his songs possibly with something in hand that represented a microphone to the point where I knew the words to each song by heart, which probably many of us did back in the day as kids as well.

If you think about it, you can't talk about MJ's songs without mentioning his dance moves that were so unbelievable you were quite utterly amazed. I think it would be safe to say that we've all tried or should I say attempted moves such as the moonwalk, standing on the tips of your toes, the MJ spin, and the moonwalk after carefully studying his cinematic music videos that were truly epic. In any case, it's those moves that many choreographers, dancers, actors/actresses, and singers like Chris Brown, as well as Usher who emulated his dance moves into their own. For it’s artists like Usher and Chris Brown performing moves that were done before they were even born give credit to the gloved one because of his influence would they even have a career? Maybe not so much Chris Brown.

For the question can be asked, when it came to Michael Jackson's fashion sense did you at some point in your childhood dress like him? You have to admit, Michael Jackson had a one of a kind sense of style who was really the type of guy you saw sporting jeans, sneakers, a Fubu shirt, or wearing a nice pair of Timbalands on his feet. Michael wouldn't be Michael without his eclectic taste in wardrobe like his plethora of interesting jackets, white undershirt, shin guards, black fedora hat, pants above the ankles, white socks, white sequin glove, red leather zippered jacket from Beat It, Thriller jacket, etc. Let me tell you something, at some point and don't lie to yourself as I say you may have bought the Thriller or the Beat It jacket to where its sitting in your closet as we speak.

On June 25th 2009 Michael Jackson died of a cardiac arrest shocking many fans both in the United States and all across the world. MIchael Jackson, in regards to his personal life, left little to be desired in my opinion and though the public has judged him over the past several years, its God who ultimately judges him and He knows the truth. However, professionally speaking, he leaves behind a legacy that has broken racial barriers, transformed the music/music video industry, and paved the way for many artists who saw him as a high influential figure in the world of music. Ultimately, the music business has lost a music genius to where I, along with many other people, will always be a fan of MJ's music/music videos and in the end, he's gone but not forgotten.

Nobody

Someone once said, ~No, life may not be easy, it can be lonely. Full of people we think we know, but barely comprehend. Yet, we must always remember: it's the challenges that define us best and the obstacles that illuminate what we're truly capable of. We must welcome adversity and embrace struggle, and no matter what we get from life, never give less than 100%. Of course, at the end of every battle weary day, we fold ourselves into peaceful darkness and find comfort in those gentle words...good night.~ Without a doubt, it's not an easy life for those who are living the single life as it can not only be a challenging experience to go through, but it's also considered at times a lonely existence, especially when it pertains to matters of the heart.

If you think about it, it's a challenge and a struggle to keep a smile on your face when there are certain moments that leave you with a lonely feeling within your heart. As I said before, it can be a challenge and a struggle as well to keep a smile on your face when there are certain moments happening near and/or around you that inevitably cause considerable discomfort. I think if you're a single person you would agree that witnessing couples who perform public displays of affection not in an outlandish way in such areas as in line at the movies or at an eating establishment with friends can be viewed as disgustingly annoying and yet there is a part of you that wants what they have leading you to temporarily wallow in loneliness both emotionally and/or mentally.

Oftentimes, one can most definitely go through a tortuous silence within their heart and soul to the point where it hurts even to take a breath. For it's a tough situation indeed to find yourself being the proverbial 3rd, 5th, or whatever wheel amongst a group of your friends who are in significant relationships. The happiness, joy, contentment, etc. you see in their eyes whenever you hang with them is a seemingly constant reminder of how much you're not only missing out on something so special, but the precious time you possibly thought you may have had is slowly slipping away. Let me tell you something, to experience that type of silent torture as you look from the inside out within your heart can surely lead you or may have already have led you to the brink of insanity.

Let me ask you this question to those who are single, have you ever come to a point where being lonely leaves you not be able to sleep at night? I think it's safe to say every person has gone through a sleepless night or two when they greatly experienced discomfort within their heart as they either stared up at the ceiling or simply standing/sitting looking out the window up at the starry filled moon lit night sky. Thinking about it, during that time of solitude all sorts of things run through your mind so much so that a person will possibly shed tears because of how much those particular thoughts can greatly affect you. Women, more so than men, know all too well about crying themselves to sleep when it comes to the feeling of being lonely and to them it's a fate worse than death.

In retrospect, the so-called battle against loneliness will always be a difficult one as there are obstacles put in front of your heart, so to speak, that test you emotionally. as well as mental will. What it comes down to is not succumbing to the mind games of what loneliness can do as it can be a tricky and devious adversary following you like a dark shadow. However, it's good to know that you have great friends to back you up all-the-while praying to God and even though they may not know what you're personally going through in your heart and mind, they support you nonetheless, which is what true friendship is all about. In the end, love or true love for that matter happens/will happen for you, me, or anyone else but I can safely say nobody wants to be lonely, which is a song by Ricky Martin and Chrstina Aguilera that reflects this particular thought.

I Told You So

Pete Koerner once said, ~...Many call common sense, the "wisdom of the heart." Oftentimes, when we "use our heads" we are relying on prejudices and fear-based programming that doesn't allow us to consider certain possibilities that might be available to us if we were to use our heart rather than our head.~ Without a doubt, the ability to use common sense can at times be difficult, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. As said before, it's a difficult situation indeed to make the smartest choice possible when there is a clash between the feelings/emotions within your heart and the analytical intelligence of your mind. For its most definitely a struggle to keep from mentally kicking yourself from making a big mistake whereby experiencing an unfortunate emotional heartbreak.

Let me ask you this question to those who are currently in the dating scene, which gender tends to lack common sense when it pertains to the opposite sex...men or women? As a careful observer, I've not only listened to countless "war stories" of bad past relationships but also have been involved in long, extensive discussions with both sides and I've come to the conclusion that women edge out the men just a bit in the common sense department. Now before I get angry emails commenting on how I've lost my common sense on this particular subject, hear me out before you quickly pass judgment. What it comes down to is being bamboozled by a guy you mentally know is totally wrong for you yet, you're so visually/physically stimulated that you ignore the warning signs anyways.

If you think about it, we all have stories about someone or are that someone who has possibly continued to lack the common sense to where one has gotten their heart broken over and over again. Case in point, my best friend shared a story with me a few weeks ago of how a female friend of his has been in a relationship with his guy who has cheated on her several times. You may be asking yourself how many times has this douchebag cheated on her and the answer to that my friend is at least 10 times. He also informed me that his female friend is still together with this idiot and has tried to get through to her but to no avail. For the question to be asked to you ladies, how many times would it take for you to wake up and kick your man to the curb after cheating on you more than once?

Henry Norman Hudson said, ~Common sense in one view is the most uncommon sense. While it is extremely rare in possession, the recognition of it is universal. All men feel it, though few men have it.~ As a guy, I can tell you what many women already know and agree with which is that all guys lose all common sense when it comes to the female species leading one brain to shut down and the "other brain" to take over. To be perfectly honest, at that point all common sense is thrown out the window and guys will literally make a fool of themselves to either score at least a number or get lucky with that particular female of interest. Let me tell you something ladies, whether they're successful or not it's about the thrill of the hunt with one's boys alongside as backup.

In retrospect, common sense and love go hand in hand as you have to make the best possible choices for the sake of your own heart or you'll end up being hurt so many times over. Oftentimes, the common sense you tend to lack can be provided by your friends who love/care about you and will always have your back even when you refuse to listen to what they're trying to warn you about concerning a certain guy/girl whose bad news. Hey, just remember these words to live by that may help you in the future...be smart, don't be stupid. In the end, nobody wants to hear those 4 words that can be considered an annoying jab at you when you know you've screwed up royally and didn't have the common sense to listen to not only yourself but to those around you...I told you so.

Live and Learn

Joseph Sugarman once said, ~Not many people are willing to give failure a second opportunity. They fail once and it is all over. The bitter pill of failure is often more than most people can handle. If you are willing to accept failure and learn from it, if you are willing to consider failure as a blessing in disguise and bounce back, you have got the essential of harnessing one of the most powerful success forces.~ If you think about it, one of the most innate fears each one of us have is the fear of failure when it pertains to our personal and/or professional life. For it's not a good feeling whatsoever experiencing the taste, so to speak, of failing at something that can potentially become a lesson learned especially when it involves the following: friendship, parenthood, and marriage.

Without a doubt, a person can most definitely be a failure at being a friend or a best friend for that matter. I think it would be safe to say that some, most, or all of us at some point have failed at being there as a friend and didn't have his/her friend's back when he/she truly needed some much needed support. Essentially, it's the lack of support concerning a bad breakup, an accident of some kind, family troubles, sickness, spiritual guidance, or whatever the case may be can possibly cause friction to the point where the friendship is severed either temporarily or permanently. It's a tough situation indeed to be considered a failing disappointment in someone's eyes, especially when that person is someone you love/care about and see him/her not just as a friend but also as a brother/sister.

Let me ask you this question to all those who are parents, how many of you consider yourselves a failure when it comes to your own kids? Thinking about it, it's a question that can be taken so personally to where it scares you because one doesn't want to end up becoming one of those parents whose kids blame them for being screwed up from the lack of parenting being given. It's a sad situation indeed when children are either closed off, lash out in anger, seek affection, want attention by getting into trouble, etc, from someone other than their mom and/or dad who are too to pre-occupied with their own seemingly important priorities or just don't care about their child's/children's well being, which is something I've witnessed working in the childcare profession for the past 11 years.

According to the latest 2009 statistics for the United States, roughly 60% of marriages end in divorce and those who are currently married don't want to become a part of. To become a failure at marriage is an experience that nobody wants to experience and yet it happens to certain couples for many different reasons. Infidelity, falling out of love, pregnancy, mistaking getting into a marriage relationship way too quickly, etc. are just some of the reasons that a marriage may fail and if there are kids involved it becomes an even tough situation to where the kids are caught in the middle. In any case, second chances are rare these days when trying to work at re-establishing trust in a marriage and whether it takes months or even years its absolutely worth it if he/she is taken back.

In retrospect, failure is a part of life and there are times we must accept what we're most afraid of even when we don't want to. What it comes down to is accepting the fact we may fail and hopefully get a second chance if given the opportunity. Life is a test that we can either pass or fail and there are no easy answers as we have to figure it out on our own. Hey, we've all failed a test in school/college because we just didn't study for it and they're usually two ways we react. We either don't care or feel badly about it and oftentimes that's how many of us are when it comes to failing at particular situations in life. In the end, always anticipate the possibility of failure because we ultimately live and learn from what we're most afraid of to where one potentially grows stronger from going through it.

Hit Or Miss

Someone once said. ~Life can be like dodgeball. You line up, you work hard to avoid being hit, but sometimes you have to take the hits as they come. The last one standing seems to be the winner. They don't necessarily win because they are smarter, faster, or bigger. They just learned to dodge the ball better. When the whistle blows, a new game begins and no two games or outcomes are the same. We can try to fix or avoid a problem one way in life, but the next time comes that comes along, it may knock us off our feet. In the game of life, no one can dodge the ball forever.~ As said before, life can be like the game of dodgeball as we find ourselves ducking, dodging, weaving, falling down, jumping up, and trying to target, as well as hit certain personal/professional objectives all-the-while avoiding being hit by life's most stinging situations.

If you think about it, the game of dodgeball is indeed a metaphor for life as each of us, in some aspect, are in a battle where we're trying to stay on our feet as certain things in our own life, whether it's known or unknown, are thrown in our direction. It can be a tough situation indeed to stay on our feet as life throws something at us that can possibly have an effect on us either in an emotional, mental, physical, and/or spiritual way to the point where one can be left stumbling in a dazed/confused state of disappointment, frustration, anger, bitterness, heartbreak, etc. For it truly takes great agility, stamina, and focus to be in the so-called game of life in which you will most definitely fall flat on your butt if you're not paying attention to your surroundings because if you don't you can quickly be taken out of the game within a blink of an eye.

Without a doubt, you never really know who is targeting you, especially when it comes to matters of the heart. I think it would be safe to say we've all been in a situation where we can be so focused to the point of being distracted as we're metaphorically throwing our heart at someone special that we may not realize someone else is throwing theirs at us. Essentially, it's that focus/distraction that can leave us open to getting hurt as all our energy is possibly wasted in throwing our attention/affections towards someone who may not want to be hit, so to speak. Thinking about it, nobody ever wants to get hurt and end up left with the stinging welts of heartbreak on your heart but we all unfortunately do. You see, no matter how much you want to in all intents and purposes hit someone's heart there is an absolute uncertainty as to whether he/she will "hit" your heart back, which is why the aspect of love is considered to be a tricky part of the game.

Personally speaking, when it comes to my own life I've been able to hit particular targets such as having great friends around me who have my back, having a job that helps pay the bills, and finally graduating college. However, the one target I haven't been able to hit is falling in love and that will happen in its own time as I pray to God as He directs that certain someone into my life. Hey, if someone out there is targeting me I'm not only honored but also flattered that she has a keen interest in me so I tip my hat to you whoever you may be. To be perfectly honest though, I'm not all that concerned about being hit or throwing at anybody in particular right now because I'm just having fun being in the game as I enjoy going out with my friends to WWE wrestling house shows, skydiving at 14,000 ft in the air, and many other activities/events that I look for toward to partaking in the future.

In retrospect, the dodgeball game that is life there aren't really any winners or for that matter losers as it is more about who can be able stay on your feet as much as possible and hopefully avoid being hit by drama that can leave us sitting on the sidelines recovering from the pain. We've all been hit in life and depending how hard the ball of drama and/or heartbreak was thrown you sat out for a few minutes, dealt with the pain, shook it off, and got right back in the game hopefully learning something from the experience. In the end, life comes down to a hit or miss philosophy as you may successfully hit certain situations/achievements that has you standing tall in victory or end up being hit as you completely miss the intended mark causing you to temporarily sit out on the sidelines, but if you don't give up and pray to God for strength then my friend you're a true competitor.