'They're killing a dance.'

Enough For Today

Dance rehearsals can go on past midnight, but this time I stopped at ten. "I hope you don't mind," I said, looking up into space, "but that's enough for today." A voice from the control room spoke. "You okay?"

"A little tired, I guess," I said.

I slipped on a windbreaker and headed down the hall. Running footsteps came up behind me. I was pretty sure who they belonged to. "I know you too well," she said, catching up with me. "What's really wrong?"

I hesitated. "Well, I don't know how this sounds, but I saw a picture today in the papers. A dolphin had drowned in a fishing net. From the way its body was tangled in the lines, you could read so much agony. Its eyes were vacant, yet there was still that smile, the one dolphins never lose, even when they die..." My voice trailed off.

She put her hand lightly in mine. "I know, I know."

"No, you don't know all of it yet. It's not just that I felt sad, or had to face the fact that an innocent being had died. Dolphins love to dance -- of all the creatures in the sea, that's their mark. Asking nothing from us, they cavort in the waves while we marvel. They race ahead of ships, not to get there first but to tell us, 'It's all meant to be play. Keep to your course, but dance while you do it.' "So there I was, in the middle of rehearsal, and I thought, 'They're killing a dance.' And then it seemed only right to stop. I can't keep the dance from being killed, but at least I can pause in memory, as one dancer to another. Does that make any sense?"

Her eyes were tender. "Sure, in its way. Probably we'll wait years before everyone agrees on how to solve this thing. So many interests are involved. But it's too frustrating waiting for improvements tomorrow. Your heart wanted to have its say now."

"Yes," I said, pushing the door open for her. "I just had this feeling, and that's enough for today."


Excerpt from "Dancing the Dream - Poems and Reflections" © 1992 by Michael Jackson
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As we all know Michael Jackson very much cared about the planet and all the animals that God created for it.

Be it coincidence or not this year when MJ was honored at the Oscar awards, a movie was winning "Best Feature Documentary" award that we all should acknowledge.

It is called "The Cove" and is about the killing of dolphins in a cove in Japan. I haven't yet seen the movie myself and it will take a lot of energy for me to do so as seeing pictures like these make me feel like watching someone killing a family member.

But nevertheless this cause is to be supported and on the movie website you can read how to take action. Please do!

http://www.thecovemovie.com/
http://www.takepart.com/thecove
http://www.facebook.com/TheCove

Please sign the petition "Stop the Dolphin Slaughter in Taiji, Japan" http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter/

"They who?? It starts with us. It's US! Or else it'll never be done... Let's take care of the planet!"

- Michael Jackson



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Addition 2010/04/01:

Please sign petion against killing of whales and dolphins here:
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-lethal-research-in-the-southern-oceans

Join FB group "I bet we can find 1,000,000 people who want Japan to stop killing whales" here:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=291599004314&ref=ts
_______

Addition 2010/09/05

Please sign the petition "Stop the Dolphin Slaughter in Taiji, Japan" http://www.thepetitionsite.com/3/stop-the-dolphin-slaughter/

Follow "The Cove" on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/TheCoveTaiji
http://twitter.com/thecovenews
http://twitter.com/TheCoveMovie
http://twitter.com/RichardOBarry

More information:

http://www.savejapandolphins.org/
http://www.oceanicdefense.org/campaigns/taiji/index.html


___

This Is It - The Final Curtain Call

Today on March 5th, 2009 Michael Jackson announced his "This Is It" concert series scheduled for the O2 Arene at a highly anticipated press conference in London.

"This Is It. This is really it. This is the final... this is the final curtain call."

Those words are piercing through our souls.

Everything has changed since then.

"I love you. I really do. You have to know that. I love you so much. Really. You have to know that."

Yes, we do Michael. I hope you know we do love you more.

Now until infinity. See you then Mike.

MJ's Earth message (This Is It, 2009)

Michael Jackson addresses the following in THIS IS IT, while the display of a renewed music video and performance for "Earth Song" unfolds:

"I respect the secrets and magic of nature. That's what makes me so angry when I see these things that are happening in our world. That every second I hear the size of a football field is torn down in the Amazon. I mean, that kind of stuff really bothers me. That's why I write these kinds of songs. You know, to give some sense of awareness and awakening and hope to people. I love...I love the planet. I love trees. I have this thing for trees. And the colours and the changing of leaves. I loove it! And I respect those kinds of things.

I really feel that nature is trying so hard to compensate for man's mismanagement of the planet. Cause the planet is sick. Like a fever. If we don't fix is now, it is at the point of no return. This is our last chance to fix this problem that we have. It is like a runaway train. When the time is come, this is it.

People are always saying, "Oh," they think, "They'll take care of it." "The Government'll do..." "Done with that..." "They'll..." They who?? It starts with us. It's US! Or else it'll never be done. We have four years to get it right. After that it would be irreversible. Let's take care of the planet!...”

Michael Jackson - This Is It (directed by Spike Lee)

Michael Jackson - This Is It (Directed by Spike Lee) from VJ Bobo on Vimeo.

Special Thanks to Mr. Spike Lee and his team for this wonderful short film.


First thanks for creating this beautiful film with its moving
end and second for making it a gift for anyone.


When asking for the permission to embed the video
into this blog, his webteam sent this message:

"Mr. Lee says, "Feel free to send my THIS IS IT

to the 4 Corners of The World."


Thank you so much, Mr. Lee, may all the kindness
and LOVE you spread around always come back to you.

For further information please visit:
www.40acres.com
http://twitter.com/40AcresBrooklyn
www.facebook.com/40AcresAndAMuleFilmworks
www.myspace.com/40acresandamulefilmworks
http://www.vimeo.com/spikes40acres