This Is It

Dan and I played hooky today and went to see the Michael Jackson movie This Is It (to see trailer click on header). Iconic, creative and inspiring. Unfortunately for me, I never appreciated him while he was alive. When I was a teenager I loved his Off The Wall album. But after that, he was so huge, his music (Thriller, Bad) so over played, that I didn't really give him a second thought. This movie had me so emotional, so inspired, that by the end I was holding back the ugly cry. Michael wanted to document the process for his archives so all the footage is behind the scenes. It starts off with thousands of people auditioning for dancers. The "winners" explain, to Michael, how he has inspired them and it is a dream come true to be able to perform with him. Some of these young folks are so overcome with emotion they can barely speak. The whole thing is his set list, them rehearsing, shooting video for the stage inserts. I believe he was no child molester but crazy with the plastic surgery for whatever reason. What comes through in the film is his passion and joy for what he does. He is kind, loving, gentle with creative instruction, generous in his gratitude. He wants to spread the message of love, loving each other. There is a fantastic piece, an anthem to nature, that is very affecting. To watch him create, sing and dance -he was still such a fluid dancer- was really inspiring. He understood that creating is an adventure and that sometimes there is failure. It didn't get him down, he learns from it, makes gentle corrections and quickly moves on. I left sad for this great loss and inspired. It make me think of our move to Kauai. I don't really know what is going to happen or what I am going to do to earn my way in this world, but after this film, some things have solidified. I want to be creative. I want to stretch myself. I want to be inspired. I want to be inspiring. I want to motivate people towards their best selves. I want to take risks and let life guide me to where I should be. I want to pay attention. I want to open up. I want to learn. I want to teach. I want to be healthy. I want to be close to nature. I want to feel joy always. I want to share. I want to be kind. I want to be patient. And of course, I want to be prosperous!