♥ Dear Michael

Dear Michael,

Hi, my name is Tara. You don't know me, but I have grown up with your music almost all of my life. Oh Michael, it is so hard to believe that you passed on. It's so hard to conceive that you are no longer with us. I knew that day would come someday, but I never thought that it would be so soon and so sudden. Michael, I can't believe that I am writing this letter to you. There are so many thing that I just have to get off of my chest... some personal things. Michael, you were indubitably one of a kind. There will NEVER be another like YOU. You were in a class of your own. Anyone else out there are just impersonators, impostors, and imitators. You were the epitome of a true entertainer and performer: original, captivating, breathtaking, talented, simply put... AMAZING! You trailblazed the music industry and became the paradigm for what a performer is supposed to be. As a matter of fact, I think you set the standard so high that no one else will be able to reach as high as you have...ever. You have broken records, and you set them. I know that you have gone through a lot in your life, but if there is one thing that people can't take from you, it's your legacy. That will last until the end of time. You have permeated and inspired, not just one generation, but MULTIPLE. You have also broken through musical barriers, and that should always be upheld in the highest respect. You have done SO MUCH that I find it hard to believe that you were only 50! There are people who live to be 90 or 100 years old and have not came close to having as much of a remarkable life as you have... not that it should be compared, though.

You captured my heart at the age of six. This was in the Dangerous era, and when I became a fan. My sister had bought your Dangerous album and would constantly play it in her room. I didn't know who you were. I didn't even remember seeing you face. All I knew was that I was taken by your music. I will be honest and say that I was HEAVILY into Kriss Kross. One day I was flippin through the channels on TV and I saw Kriss Kross. The first words that I heard out of their mouths was "Michael Jackson is the King Of Pop." I didn't know who you were, what pop was, and why you were the king of it. All I knew was Kriss Kross was looking fiiiiiiine!!! *LOL* Ok, let me stop. Found out that it was some sort of behind the scene special of your video Jam. When they played the video I immediately thought, "That's the song that my sister plays in her room everyday." Right in front of me was the face behind the music. Although amazing, I have seen very little of your talent, but that was ALL about to change...

One day, I believe sometime in 1992 or 93', you were doing a live concert that HBO was broadcasting live. I believe it was Dangerous tour: Live from Budapest. All I remember at that point was that you were the guy in the music videos and the guy that sung the songs my sister would play in her room. Before the concert, I considered myself a fan. But, after seeing that concert, my fandom increased 10, 20, 30 fold, and there was no turning back. I was completely in awe of you. Your singing, your dancing... simply incredible! It was like I was mesmerized. If I needed to go to the bathroom I would just hold it. I just didn't want to miss a moment of your talent. I just could not believe the way your feet were moving. I was really at a lost of words.

From that point on, any music, videos (excuse me... short films), specials, etc about you, I was tuning in to. I wouldn't have missed it for the world, even if I had seen it already. You were everywhere in the 90s, including in all the tabloids. Back in the 90s my mom was an avid buyer and reader of the tabloid magazines Star and The National Inquirer. After my mom read them, I would take them and cut out the pictures of you. Please don't be upset. NOW I know that tabloids are scum magazines, but back then I didn't know that. All I knew was that there were pictures of you and I wanted them.

Well, skipping all that, I just want to get down to the chase... the nitty gritty. Although I have never met you, I felt such an huge connection to you, Michael. I know that you may have heard a lot of fans say this, and it very well may sound typical, but it was special for me. I truly did love you, Michael. I know that I am divulging all of this at the expense of me sounding psychotic and absolutely crazy, but I said that I was going to be honest. But I really did love you. You are one of many threads that made up the fabric of my life. I can't think of my childhood, my teenhood (yeah... I think I made that up), or even some parts of my adulthood without having you bought up.

As I said Michael, I loved you. But, what did I love about you? It was not only your talented that made me love you. It was also your personal qualities. Watching interviews of you, listening to your music, and also hearing and reading from people who have known you personally gave me a glimps of who you were as a person. You were caring, sweet, childlike, funny, charming, sensitive, intelligent, considerate, generous, loving, shy, and of course, talented. You were openly all of these things to the point when people would take advantange of you. People mistake kindness for weakness. Yes, I am fully cognizant that you were NOT perfect. You have made a lot of mistakes, and have probably done things that the general public don't know about. But those qualities were enough for me to be intrigued by you. You were very unique.

I always fantasied (I'm a Walter Mitty) and hoped that I would meet you one day. That maybe one day we would meet and cultivate a friendship at least. It is those same qualities that made me attracted to you (yeah, I had a crush on you). I always thought that you were sexy inside and out (wow, I can't believe I am typing this). But I always hope that, at best, we would cultivate some type of friendship or relationship. I know it was wishful thinking.

Michael, there is SOOOOO many more things that I want to get off of my chest. But, I think that this is sufficient for now. I just really wanted you to know how I felt. I wanted you to know how much I loved you and how you were apart of my life, even though we never met and never will.

I also want to say Thank you! Thank you for your music, artistry, inspiration, sharing your talent, love of the fans, thank you for EVERYTHING you gave. Also, thank you for sacrificing so much. Even though you loved your craft, I know that it came with a price; a huge price. I want you to know that, no matter how the media painted you, you ARE loved and appreciated by SO MANY people all around the world. We will never forget you, Michael... EVER!

I loved you yesterday, today, and always!

Tara