SUPPORT GROUP: MEMORIAL TRIBUTES
Sunflowers for Michael:
A Garden of L.O.V.E.
~J.Michelle Gold~
All of us remember Michael Jackson as an extraordinarily gifted entertainer
whose creativity dared to soar beyond the norm, and whose compassion for
people touched him so deeply that he felt compelled to do whatever he could
to help ease the suffering of humanity around the world. A simple smile on the face of a child was more precious to him than all the Grammy’s
ever awarded. What wasn’t so obvious to most people was the humble
gardener that Michael was. Yes, you read correctly. I think of Michael as
someone who planted subtle seeds of thought across the people of the
world. These thought seeds were planted within his music, in the amazing
collection of poetry and prose found in his book, “Dancing the Dream,” and
in the symbolic visual messages in his incredible short films. I believe Michael had great hope that these seeds would take root in the hearts of
many and when the seedlings matured the world would transform into a
better place. As we approach the fifth anniversary of his untimely passing,
I find myself flooded with thoughts about how, through the influence of one
amazing man, so many people have formed groups to support him and
continue his message of peace. A group that readily comes to my mind is
called, “Sunflowers for Michael” and it truly is an international garden of
L.O.V.E.
In the days and months following June 25, 2009, I found myself searching
the internet looking through hundreds of websites containing video clips of
Michael Jackson’s performances, interviews, and music. In connection
with many MJ fan blogs, I stumbled upon a website called MJJ-777 started
by a fan known as Seven. Seven’s website was flooded with information
which was truthful in regard to Michael, debunking some of the disrespectful and deceitful media being released about false allegations which
seemed to haunt Michael throughout his career. In one of the articles Michael’s former wife Lisa Marie Presley mentioned that he loved sunflowers, and that he called them “happy flowers.” This article was seen by many fans, and a florist in California called, “The Sunflower Guy” decided
to send an entire field of sunflowers to Michael’s resting place at the Forest Lawn Cemetery in Glendale, CA. I will never forget how beautiful
everything looked in the photographs shown with an entire field of Michael’s favorite flowers surrounding the entire space of Holly Terrace. It was
then that a group called, “Sunflowers for Michael” was born, an idea promoted by Sandy Scott. Sandy soon found out that what began as a simple proposal magically transformed into a wonderful journey….one that fans from all over the world are still taking together. Loving fans continue
to show their support by filling Holly Terrace with so many cards, letters, poems, small gifts, and fabulous artwork. It is a garden where L.O.V.E.
continues to grow, and hearts begin to heal.
Sunflowers for Michael is made up of a very caring group of people
who believe in honoring Michael Jackson, not merely for the contributions he made to the world of entertainment, but for the contributions he made toward the betterment of humanity. We appreciate
the exceptional effort Michael has achieved in this area, and we
believe this is how he deserves to be remembered….as one who
used the wealth of his career to enable himself to give to others, and
to bring light to the suffering of humanity across the world. He spent
a great deal of time educating others about the injustices that exist
causing suffering in our world, and how we can all take a proactive
approach toward the positive change needed for our planet, as well
as the human condition. As Michael stood up for the voiceless and
broke down the barriers of racism, his fans also stood up for him and
his family during all of the trials and tribulations they have gone
through. To coin a phrase created by Seven, we are all his extended “fan-mily” and we will do our best to make sure that he is remembered for all of the right reasons.
The sunflower patch continues to grow each year connecting fans,
many of whom create lasting friendships, from all areas of the world. This very unique garden of L.O.V.E. is the living reality of Michael’s dream;
the manifestation of his idea of each of us, regardless of race, religion, or social status, holding hands across the world and working together toward making the positive change Michael often spoke of. As he eloquently sings in the song, “Man in the Mirror” the first step toward change is to
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