Just a little bit ....

All my life one of my favorite performers has been George Michael.  His death this past Christmas was like a little piece of my childhood leaving.  I only knew the media/pop star version of the man and of course as a teenager, with my posters adorning my walls, I devoured Mtv tidbits like the Bible.

Then at some point I got away from his music.  I think he became “too deep” for my likings, but in actuality he was probably just becoming real to the world.

I just started watching an older documentary about him and while I am still marveling at home fine looking a man he was, I find my older sense feeling so different about him.  Equally as strong as my 18 year old love for him is my 48 year old respect for him.

Perhaps what has hit home with me the most is his relationship with his father.  His father had George’s life planned out.  What he should do.  What he should become.  He’d written his story.  When told George wanted to be an entertainer, his father’s comment was “George can’t sing!”

George can’t sing.

Had he listened, George wouldn’t have sang.  He wouldn’t have written such amazing music.  But for some reason George was able to say “fuck you, I’m going for my dreams!”  Not only did he say it, he did it.  Tragically his demons won in the end, which will forever make me sad, but his years on this earth were very much lived.

One man heard “you can’t” and proved that message was wrong.

One woman hears “you can’t” and holds those words as a truth, even when there is no proof to support it.

I don’t know what makes a person pick one or the other and run with it, but I’d like to hope that it’s never too late to change your mind if you’ve picked the wrong reaction.

I’ve spent my whole life believing “you can’t” and I want to be done.

Like the song says, I gotta have faith …..