A lot of people I knew said they wouldn't cry when they watch the tribute for Michael Jackson at the Staples Centre today, but many did after all. The event took nearly three hours, starting with the rolling in of the casket. There were dignitaries there, and a great many stars. Fine eulogies were read out to remember him as he was; some made us all smile, while others left us in tears. For 50 years, in the words of Maya Angelou, 'we had him'. We had him for all those time, believing that we would have him always. We were in awe of him, we praised him, we idolised him. And when his fame began to wane, we criticised him, we made fun of him, we vilified him, then we exploited his every mistake and every choice, so we can sell more papers, raise more traffic to our sites - make more money out of him. In the end, we treated him like nothing more than a commodity. And for this, we can only pray for forgiveness.
It seemed his life, like his death, was filled with commotion. Yet, all through the tribute today, there was a strange sense of calm. I'd like to think that it was because somewhere out there, he is finally free. Free of all that commotion. Free of all that criticism and vilification. He is gone, but somehow, even as I'm sitting quietly writing this, there's an odd feeling that a part of him is still there, around us; he is still with us, a certain calmness that lives on for as long as he is in our memories.
As cliched as it may sound, his songs were indeed the background music in many of our lives. And the Michael Jackson I remember always had that shy smile and the open face. The Michael I recall from all those news reports and all those publicity in all those years was a trustworthy, generous, fun-loving, hardworking, super talented, trusting, innocent man - no, not man - child. I believe I will always have this impression of Michael Jackson as the living Peter Pan. A man's body that carried within, a child's soul. A man, I think, who wanted nothing more than to gain his father's - and the world's - approval. And love. 
For millions around the world, we will always wonder what the real Michael was like. Michael the man. Michael the brother. Michael the father. Michael the friend. At the tribute, we had glimpses of what he was like in person. He was 'a kind and non-jaded person', said Brooke Shields. A man who loved to laugh. A man who laughed and sang with all his heart. And despite all the bad press he had and all the accusations thrown his way, there is no disputing that among all the stars and celebrities out there these past few decades, none have fuelled as much inspiration to so many people around the world as MJ. He's gone now, to a better place. And it was a fine tribute that they held for Michael today. I'm sure many around the world found some comfort in the sense of closure that the tribute brings. It was an adequate tribute for a man who has brought much joy and pleasure into our lives. An adequate tribute that reminded us all of why we should be grateful for having experienced his music as a part of our lives. It was a fine tribute for the man who was indeed the Greatest Entertainer the world has ever known.
If Michael was watching from up there, I think he'd be smiling.
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