Will You Be there?

We are all deeply moved and affected by music. Look at the number of IPods and songs downloaded or purchased every year. We are musical beings. With today's memorial for Michael Jackson, regardless of your thoughts or feelings for the man, the portrayal of his passion for and love of music, was beyond excellence. This is not a review of the tributes but I was touched to my depths by Jennifer Hudson's presentation of "Will You Be There?", especially considering her own mother and nephew were murdered in the last year. It was INCREDIBLE! It would be so worth your time to check it out on YouTube or MSN or CNN.


At the end of the song, she stops singing and there is a moving voiceover by Michael Jackson of words that I believe he wrote along with the song. The words he spoke started out "In our darkest hour, in my deepest despair, will you still care? Will you be there?" The words in their entirety are at the end of this blog. I have played it over and over and cried and cried. It was the depth of the words and the emotion of their meaning, along with Jennifer's powerful inner strength and presence that enabled her to get through the song, much less deliver maybe the best performance of her life. It had to be the grace and peace of God on her, and God bless her for it.


I went to Google the "In our darkness" lyrics to see who wrote it or where it came from, and suddenly I found myself writing. Today's memorial gave me a different glimpse of his family in this darkest hour, with his litttle children watching, and probably not fully understanding what was happening. I saw a family rally together and literally cling to the person with the greatest need at that moment. I heard loving and loyal friends speak of him just as we would pay tribute to our friends. When his 11 year old Paris spoke, unscripted, and then turned in tears to her Aunt Janet, who took her firmly and strongly under her mothering wings, the other aunts and uncles circled and hugged each other tightly. It was heart breaking but inspiring at the same time.