Friday, June 26, 2009

Of Angels and Kings........

       


Ed McMahon's death a couple of days ago surprised me only because I honestly thought I remembered his dying several years ago. I would have sworn that I'd seen his picture among the famous-ones-who-have-died-this-year shown during an Oscar show, you know? Of course, I knew who he was, but Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" was my parents' show, and Ed seemed old to me even back then.

But losing Farrah and then Michael yesterday packed a much harder punch. They were both such larger-than-life parts of my growing up years. I, along with billions of other young girls, wanted to be Farrah Fawcett. Her hair, her voice, her laugh, her affect on all the boys my age........ she had it all........ well, all I wanted at the time. And Michael. I sang, dance and skated to SO many of his songs. I'm smiling now just remembering watching the "Thriller" video for the first time. What incredible talent he had! As I've gotten older, the one word that I would use to describe both of their lives, though, would be "empty." So much money. So much fame. So much everything. But in all of their photographs, their smiles never quite seemed to make it to their eyes, and that makes me sad. 

Yesterday, once again, brought clearly into focus the truth that in light of Eternity, we truly are "just a vapor." I read a commentary last night where someone asked, "I wonder what The King of Kings is saying to the King of Pop right now?" My prayer for Michael and for all of those who loved him is that the answer is "Welcome home" and not "I never knew you." And I hope that Farrah is in the company of angels now instead of merely playing one on TV.