gone too soon

A lot of life has happened in the months since I last wrote. We've closed the door on another school year, and we're preparing to welcome another new class through the Gate of Opportunity. I can't believe that August is almost here. As I get older, the years go by more quickly. Sometimes almost too fast. They say time flies when you're having fun, but I don't think that's really been the case. I think time flies when you're so busy that you don't stop to enjoy anything. When your primary job is to plan events, it's hard not to live from project to project (and calendar date to calendar date). You exist in the space from one event to the next, and as soon as one finishes, you begin looking forward to the next one, frequently without the luxury of a moment to catch your breath. But I've had to make a promise to myself not to get so caught up that I forget to savor the moments that really matter. People in academia live life on a school calendar, so in a way, this is my New Year's. This year, I'm going to have some fun. We'll see if time flies by faster or if it slows down enough to be able to take it all in.

It's weird to look at my last entry knowing what would eventually happen to Mr. Jackson. It's even more strange to see myself talking about him in the past tense while he was still alive. Granted we hadn't heard much out of him for several years, so it makes sense... but in light of the whole comeback tour, where in rehearsal he was reportedly performing at the absolute top of his game, it's surprising to realize that in some ways he was already gone. For me, the saddest part is knowing that we won't know what may have come from that comeback. Sure, someone will re-mix all the rehearsal footage and previously unreleased recordings and make lots of money - I think Tupac and Biggie actually released more music in death than they did while they were alive - but I don't think that's the same as seeing what might have happened.

The tragedy of it all is that if he had lived, performed again, and somehow failed, we would know, but we probably wouldn't be able to have the same appreciation for his body of work. I've loved him as long as I can remember, even through all the weirdness, but in a way, I think his untimely death is probably the only thing that would allow others to see the talent and genius behind that strange facade. His was certainly a life beyond comprehension to us regular people, and his stardom came with a heavy price. I hope his family finds peace in the midst of an incredible loss.