Michael Jackson's tragic life

What does it mean to a child when a parent wants to live vicariously through him or her? What does it mean to a child when a parent has determined for that child what he or she will be without understanding that God has a plan for that child? Well, we don't have to look very far to know the answers.

Michael Jackson's life and death should be a lesson to every parent. His man, still a boy in many respects, never was able to know who he really was. With all of the talent that he possessed, he was on a constant search for so many things. As great as his music was and still is, his life was one veiled effort after another to find love, validation, or just to have the fun that his missed out on as a boy.

I grew up with the Jacksons. I remember the night that I saw them make their debut on the Ed Sullivan Show. I remember this little boy singing like a seasoned entertainer. You could tell that he was something special. However, the challenge for every entertainer is what happens behind the scenes; behind the curtain. This is where Joe Jackson would push and push . . . and for what, or better yet, for whom. Was it for the boys, for the family or for him? Well, we found out what Michael thought of him, leaving him totally out of his will.

The whole situation is tragic on so many fronts, but as it the case with so much that happens in our lives . . . we must live and learn.