Michael Jackson...

I was not anticipating feeling the way I feel about the death of Michael Jackson. I was at a Habachi dinner with a few friends when my best friend sent me a text saying: Michael Jackson is in a coma! I wrote back with Oh. My. God. It was then followed by: He's dead!

I immediately got on my Blackberry and tried to Google what the heck happened and like the rest of the world, I was blocked.

I sit, a few hours still stunned. I am not sure why. Granted, I enjoy motown more than the average joe...I always have and always will appreciated the great musical talent he was. I suppose his music brings me amazing memories throughout my life.

I remember when I was first exposed to Michael Jackson. I was about 5 years old. I remember watching the Motown 25 special. I was sitting on the floor with my Smurf tv tray wearing my pink tutu eating and on the screen came a man with a white glove standing on a stage with people screaming. I remember I stopped eating and from the first sound of the base and beat I was captivated. I wanted to hear Billie Jean over and over and over again. Being such a young child, my parents gave me the Chipmunk version of the Thriller album. I played and played and played it. When Bad came out, my dad got the album and I remember playing it on my Fisher Price record player. I would listen to Jackson 5 tapes and dance around. Our family vacations in Florida, we stayed in the same hotel as Michael Jackson and I remember waiting on the balcony seeing if I could catch a glimpse of him and Bubba the chimp.

Growing up now as an adult, I have countless memories of dancing with my friends to his songs in bars and parties. When I met B, Wanna Be Starting Something was playing in the background. Driving to my grandmother's funeral, Will You Be There, gave me comfort. Doing my first 5K, I started each workout with Billie Jean. My good friend loved PYT and I would smile each time I heard it as well as it was playing constantly during my summers at the beach. "The Way You Make Me Feel" used to be B's ring on my phone and would jolt me awake often. Man in the Mirror will always inspire me and I remember when Obama won they played it over and over again.

I think what puts it over the edge was during my time working at the children's hospital I met a truly remarkable young man. He was 13 years old and had cardiomyopathy. He was going to die if he did not have a transplant. What kept him going, each and every day, was his countless videos of Michael Jackson and the Jackson 5. He would watch "ad nauseum" documentaries about Michael and his family and his childhood...he knew every song and every move. He used to get a kick out of me attempting the moonwalk. I had to wait one day at the hospital for my friend and he and I watched the made for tv movie. When my sweet boy passed away, I drove away from the hospital and Jackson 5 came on my radio and I knew he was in heaven. "Gone Too Soon" was a healing piece of music for me during that tough time.

I believe that Michael Jackson's music has touched each one of us.

Rest In Peace, Michael.