I'm Not Finished Growing Yet

With the passing of Michael Jackson, memories of the early eighties come flooding back. My children were mesmerized by Michael Jackson. The youngest especially. He loved the flash, the shiny glove and would run to the family room anytime he heard Thriller being played on MTV.

One weekend my parents came to visit, and my mom was speaking to my youngest and asked him what he wanted to be when he grew up. And without hesitation, he told her that he wanted to be Michael Jackson. Once the laughter subsided, my mother answered, "I don't think that can happen, sweetie, you are not black."

My youngest thought about it for a second, and replied, "It could happen, I'm not finished growing yet."

The influence that Michael Jackson had through his music was remarkable. I think people forget that there was a period in this country where the thought process said that you market one thing to black America, and a different thing to white America especially when it came to music. Michael Jackson helped bring an end to that fallacy.

I find it sad that he became so eccentric, and his life became a joke of late night television. I watched an interview with Quincy Jones who said that when Jackson was just 5 years old, he was wiser than many of the adults around him. Jones felt that Jackson had an old soul. I do not agree with how he led his life, and there are many things, whether true or not, that tarnish his earlier career, but his music and his influence in changing how America listens to music is undeniable.

I still can picture the poster of Michael Jackson, resplendent in a red jacket with the white sequined glove, hanging over the head of the bed in my youngest son's room, and the album, Thriller, playing incessantly on the stereo.

Just my memories of Michael Jackson.