I am not grieving for Michael Jackson--I didn't like him or his music. And I don't really identify with the culture that makes a pop star death a major news story. But that's just me. There are things that I do find a profound sense of sorrow over. Here are some of them:
1. I will always miss my parents; they were such good people who lived their hard lives with courage and dignity. (And I miss a culture that knows what courage and dignity are.)
2. I mourn for the loss of the beaches and salt marshes of Galveston where I grew up and all the birds and wildlife that lived there. The huge beach houses that displaced them make me want to vomit.
3. I long for the days when trash wasn't every place you look--plastic bottles, cans, bags, garbage.
4. I am almost paralyzed by an overwhelming sense of helplessness as I see the beauty of the earth strip mined and polluted.
5. I can't even bear to think about the animals whose lives are processed in our food factories.
Pop stars don't really come close.
2 comments:
Florence,
I understand exactly what you mean. I watched the memorial and found myself very moved, even though I didn't like Jackson so much. I found myself crying but not for Jackson, I was crying for America. We are in very deep trouble. We're a mess.
I understand also why so many people, including the media seemed to turn all their attention towards Michael. He made them happy and for a time, people can forget their troubles.
I miss my parents also and I wish they were here to tell me what to do and how to handle the mess we are in.
I miss all the beachfront land that has been destroyed by overbuilding. That's the main reason why I left the Hamptons. The builders were destroying the farmlands and open horizon. I couldn't see an unobstructed view of the sunsets anymore. And the beaches were tethered with debris, plastic soda can wrappers, deflated balloons (which choke the seagulls).
My only solace is my little 4 acres. It teams with wild life and I will never upset my own precious ecosystem here.
I've stopped eating beef years ago and practically gag on chicken. I've turned more towards vegetables, fruits, grains, beans and sometimes wild caught fish.
Remember mando carne? It can sometimes be a cruel, hard world.
Find some peace. Somewhere. And hold onto it.
Dear Morrison, I think you are right--there is so much to grieve about these days that MJ's death was something to focus our sense of loss on. I'm really not sad often but sometimes things do pile up and dear friends (internet friends included) do help.
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