Dear visitors, friends and MJfamily, the Its-all-for-LOVE-webteam wants to thank you for constantly supporting us to carry Michael´s vision into the future and for sharing your love with us in 2011.
We wish you that 2012 will turn out to be
a HAPPY NEW YEAR filled with peace, faith, major love and hope
for you and your beloved ones.
May the universal LOVE free you of all weight and pain of life...
How about LOVE as a gift for Christmas? Yes I know is not a new idea. Everybody is saying it. But how about listening a bit?
I talked to some of the children I work with and asked what would they like to receive as an "unwrappable" gift. Some of them avoided at first the answer or responded quickly listing all the toys or other wishes they had. But we managed to get over such conversational stoppers and this is what they answered:
Dinner with their family
Spending (more) time at home (or elsewhere) with their loved ones
A friend (or more if it's possible)
It's not a big list. And is not too complicated to make it happen.
And there is a category of children who do not or cannot communicate with spoken language. I "talk" to them day after day and I know what they would what is for people to see beyond their difficulties and accept them as they are - beautiful and loving.
And maybe these would be the best gifts we could offer ourselves.
And maybe we can all stop blaming the materialist world as being something from outside of us.
I believe that be paying more attention to all these gifts that cannot be wrapped we will be able to find the material gifts more meaningful as we will see the love, care and attention behind them.
I know there is a whole battle out there about Santa and what to tell children, and how all this is just a huge conspiracy to make us buy more and forget our traditions and/or God.
What I believe is that it is each of us' responsibility to teach our children to see the meaning of Christmas.
Or maybe we should allow our children to be our teachers.
This is how a 9 year old student from Germany explains the meaning of Christmas:
"Jesus came into the world in a place where no one ever would have expected him. Christmas shows us that we can find God and his love where we expect it the least."
Tomorrow morning I'll be unwrapping with great joy all the gifts I'll find under the tree. And I know my family will do the same (especially me 3 years old nephew). But what I will love most about it is that we will be together. I know I'll get many hugs and kisses. I know I have the love of my family and my friends.
And I will appreciate even more the gifts I've been given until now.
Millions of people are getting ready to celebrate the birth of achild thatbrought hope and light into thedarkness of the world...
Since the children from today - and sometimes the inner child from adults - still bring back hope, love, faith and peace back into ourworld ourteamwould like toshare with you this meaningful candle story.
Thank you for all of your love and hope you are spreading in your personal life. May you always keep your inner child alive, because WE are the children...
Take our heartfelt thanks for constantly supporting our It´s-all-for-LOVE-webteam and sharing your love with us.
According to UNICEF statistics, about 42% of Brazilian children live in poverty. Also, approximately 1/8 of all Brazilian children live on the streets. The causes of child poverty in Brazil are complex.
Being an international webteam we are living on four continents (still missing someone from Africa) - but no one can give first-hand-informations about Brazilian children poverty. Because we have learned that availaible information may be subject to misinterpretation we usually count on UNICEF data to access the situation of children all around the world.
Unicef´s statics clearly show that Brazil´s more than 10 million children benefit from reduced infant mortality rate and increased access to school.
To accelerate this progress WE have to increase our support. Brazil is still responding to two floods in 2011. One of them (in January 2011) is seen as one of the worst natural disasters in Brazilian history.
Today the It´s-All-For-Love-webteam wants to turn your attention to a project (which is not meant to be a charity) from Paulo Coelho, world-famous native brazilian writer, lyricist, novelist and simply impressing humanitarian. Paulo kindly allowed us to reblog his article about the Paulo Coelho Institutand we thank him for showing this courtesy. Even more we want to thank him for being such a giving and loving person, who always watches things with his heart and who inspires millions with his work.
In his book "Aleph" Paulo shares with us an astonishing, very beautiful explanation of universal love.
“...all the lovers in the world are like different rivers flowing into the same lake, where they meet and are transformed into a single love that becomes rain and blesses the earth.”
“I receive your love and I give you mine. Not the love of a man to a woman, not the love of a father for a child, not the love of Gos for his creatures, but a Love with no name and explanations, like a river that follows a particular course but simply flows onwards. A love that asks for nothing and gives nothing in return. I will never be yours and you will never be mine, nevertheless, I can honestly say: I love you, I love you. I love you.”
~Paulo Coelho
We love you, Paulo.
Paulo Coelho Institute
I would like to bring your attention to the 430 children needing our support.
The PAULO COELHO Institute is a non-profit-making institution financed largely by my royalties.
My aim was for it not to be a charity, but an institute to give opportunities to the underprivileged and ostracized members of Brazilian society.
Thus, the Institute concentrates its funds on:
a) Children
b) The elderly
At present, the PAULO COELHO Institute provides financial support to Creche Escola Meninos da Luz, Lar Paulo de Tarso (in the Pavão-Pavãozinho favela, Rio de Janeiro), who look after these 430 children.
In 1996 we started with 80 children, and now with our continued effort we are supporting 400 children.
The real warriors behind the project are: Isabella de Moraes and Yolanda de Moraes Rego.
If you would like to make a donation to Lar Paulo de Tarso:
If you have Google Earth installed in your computer, key in: Rua Saint Roman 149, Rio de Janeiro 22071, RJ, Brasil and you will see the favela Pavão-Pavãozinho (the houses scattered by the hill).
Thanking you in advance for any support you may give us.
Thanks on behalf of these warriors, Isabella and Yolanda.
Thank you on behalf of the 430 children.
Thank you on behalf of my country, for the difference you can make.
Last - but not least let´s give this blogpost "caring about the children from Brazil" the "MJ-touch":
You´ll all remember the video "They don´t really care about us", which was shot in Brazil, a favela in Rio de Janeiro called Dona Marta and in Salvador Da Bahia . State authorities tried to ban all production over fears the video would damage their image, the area and prospects of staging the 2004 Olympics. Still, the residents of the area were happy to see the singer, hoping their problems would be made visible to a wider audience.
The making of TDCAU in Rio de Janeiro 1996
Alas, the Brazilian Long Version from "They don´t really care about us" on the internet is only availaible to certain countries.
"Will You Be There?" was released in 1993 and featured on "Free Willy" Soundtrack. First thing that comes to mind when thinking about the song is "epic", the classical meaning of the word. In fact "Will You Be There?" was included in Michael's book "Dancing The Dream, Poems and Reflections" and it fits in perfectly among the other writings.
The full length version includes a prelude, a lesser known portion from Beethoven's "Ode To Joy" (from his "9th Symphony" - German lyrics are written by Friedrich Schiller), performed by The Cleveland Orchestra and The Cleveland Orchestra Chorus.
"You bow down, millions?
Can you sense the Creator, world?
Seek Him above the starry canopy!
Beyond the stars He must dwell."
The follow up to this introduction is a beautiful chorale interlude arranged by Andre and Sandra Crouch with the Andre Crouch Singers contributing to the song with vocals. Talking about the song producer Teddy Riley said:
"This is Michael again. Bringing a vocal choir in on the track was a stroke of genius. It's something I'd consider doing since hearing him do it. It's a long song as well, a lot of this album really clocks in. This nearly hits eight minutes, I think – it's not a punchy radio edit! Yes, it's long but it came across really well for the album. A lot of the songs on the album are long. That's what makes the album I think."
Hold Me Like The River Jordan And I Will Then Say To Thee You Are My Friend
Carry Me Like You Are My Brother Love Me Like A Mother Will You Be There?
The album version of the song is 7 minutes and 40 seconds long. In the days of 142 characters at a time it's an eternity. But to me it always felt short and intense. If I had to choose a category for it I would list it as a gospel song. Like "Man In The Mirror" and "Keep The Faith", "Will You Be There?" has powerful vocals and amazing harmonies. But unlike the two this one focuses on a deep personal level, it comes from the soul of a man praying for guidance, support, understanding and love. For most of his life Michael has been the genius, the superstar, the odd one, the gloved one and so on and was denied the right to be considered and treated as human.
Weary Tell Me Will You Hold Me When Wrong, Will You Scold Me When Lost Will You Find Me?
But They Told Me A Man Should Be Faithful And Walk When Not Able And Fight Till The End But I'm Only Human
The song a huge impact on the fan community and it created a strong bond between us and Michael. I was about 12 when I bought the album and when I watched the live broadcasting of the Bucharest concert ("Dangerous" Tour) and I was mostly unaware of the struggles and pain in his life. It is a song that I have rediscovered since in many occasions. With the release of its video that contained images from his "Dangerous" Tour both on and off stage (including from two places very important to me - Bucharest and Munich), in dealing with all the media bashing, in dealing with the greed driven accusations brought against him, after watching the MTV performance, after the 1996 Bucharest concert (that I attended), during and after the trial, after his death, after meeting with dear friends, each time when I need something to lift my spirit.
It is always an incredibly emotional experience, that gets richer each time - but the first feel, the first thought will always be connected to that day in 1992 when I first saw him performing it live - a man, dressed in a simple white shirt and black pants, making me see emotions though singing and dancing.
Everyone's Taking Control Of Me
Seems That The World's
Got A Role For Me
I'm So Confused
Will You Show To Me
You'll Be There For Me
And Care Enough To Bear Me
Later on, though the years, learning the meaning of the lyrics and understanding the message of the song I was amazed by the strength he had performing the song each night in front of tens of thousands of people. It must have taken huge amounts of energy just to get thought it.
“When I step out on stage in front of thousands of people, I don't feel that I'm being brave. It can take much more courage to express true feelings to one person. [...] In spite of the risks, the courage to be honest and intimate opens the way to self-discovery. It offers what we all want,
the promise of love. ”
Michael Jackson
In Our Darkest Hour
In My Deepest Despair
Will You Still Care?
Will You Be There?
In My Trials
And My Tribulations
Through Our Doubts
And Frustrations
In My Violence
In My Turbulence
Through My Fear
And My Confessions
In My Anguish And My Pain
Through My Joy And My Sorrow
In The Promise Of Another Tomorrow
"Will You Be There?" transformed the untouchable "superhero" figure into the man with a fantastic gift for most of his fans. It built a bridge between the fan community and Michael, helping with the transition to what we now call MJ Family.
I once heard tears being defined as sign that our body can no longer contain our emotions. Each time after I listen the song I have tears in my eyes and feeling overwhelmed. And most times are tears of joy.
I'll Never Let You Part For You're Always In My Heart.
Written, composed, produced, solo and background vocals by Michael Jackson
Co-Produced by Bruce Swedien
Recorded and mixed by Bruce Swedien and Matt Forger
Rhythm arrangement by Michael Jackson and Greg Phillinganes
Orchestra arranged and conducted by Johnny Mandel
Vocal arrangement by Michael Jackson
Choir arrangement by Andrae and Sandra Crouch, featuring the Andrae Crouch Singers.
Greg Phillinganes and Brad Buxer: Keyboards
Michael Boddicker: Synthesizers
Rhett Lawrence: Synthesizers and synthesizer programming
Brad Buxer, Bruce Swedien: Drums and percussion
Paulinho Da Costa: Percussion
Prelude - Beethoven: Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, Opus 125: Presto
Performed by the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus
Directed by Robert Shaw
Performed by the Cleveland Orchestra
Conducted by George Szell
