Passion.

Determination.

Creativity.

Undeniable talent.

Mix all those things and you have one very real Michael J. Jackson.

I grew up (like millions of other people) listening to his music, trying my darnedest to copy his complex dance moves without breaking my toes. My moonwalk is still a work in progress.

My sister and I tied our wrists together and did the knife fight scene from the Beat It video.

We squealed when Remember the Time came on and Mike spun around and disappeared into the pile of sand.

Smooth Criminal? When he hit that lean? OOOOOOOHHHH!!!!

Regardless of the controversy surrounding his life for most of my recollection of him, there was a genius behind the crazy.

Look at that picture up there. That’s pure joy on his face. Whether his love of performing was his refuge or his downfall, that’s not for us to speculate. All I know is that he was darn good at it. Could command a stage like nobody’s business.

His music is timeless, just as hot today as it was 30 years ago. I turned on “Don’t Stop Til You Get Enough” yesterday and my daughter got up, shimmied a bit and exclaimed, “Mommy, I LIKE that song.”

Let’s all take a moment and realize that MJ provided the soundtrack for our lives and how powerful that is.

Thank you, MJ. For everything.