The things Michael Jackson's autobiography "Moonwalk" gives me 2/2

Today I want to write about Michael Jackson's autobiography "Moonwalk". This blog post is next to this article, "The things Michael Jackson's autobiography "Moonwalk" gives me 1/2". I believe these posts concerning Michael Jackson support readers to live better. That's because he and the way of his living tell us the unlimited possibility of human being.

Setting goals and believing ourselves

I quote the stanza I love.

"I believed in wishes and in a person's ability to make a wish come true. I really do. Whenever I saw a sunset, I would quietly make my secret wish right before the sun tucked under the western horizon and disappeared. It would seem as if the sun had taken my wish with it. I'd make it right before that last speck of light vanished. And a wish is more than a wish, it's a goal. It's something your conscious and subconscious can help make reality."

And he wrote like this in another chapter.

"I do love achieving goals. I love not only reaching a mark I've set for myself but exceeding it. Doing more than I thought I could, that's a great feeling. There's nothing like it. I think it's so important to set goals for yourself. It gives you an idea where you want to go and how you want to get there. If you don't aim for something, you'll never know whether you could have hit the mark."

A lot of people might think he is a genius. Indeed it's right in a sense, but I think it's not true in other sense. He also wished and dreamed as other humans do. And he changed his wish into a realistic goal and achieved them one by one. As he says if we set our goals, they give us ideas. He wrote about the story of making his album "Thriller". Thriller was the biggest-selling album around the world in history. When he was making the album, his attitude was different from other staffs' attitude.

"I remember being in the studio once with Quincy and Rod Temperton while we were working on Thriller. I was playing a pinball machine and one of them asked me, "If this album doesn't do as well as Off the Wall, will you be disappointed?" I remember feeling upset—hurt that the question was even raised. I told them Thriller had to do better that Off the Wall. I admitted that I wanted this album to be the biggest-selling album all time. They started laughing. It was a seemingly unrealistic thing to want."

I feel his sorrow and loneliness when he might feel at that moment. That's because I've ever felt the same feeling of him. If someone tries to do something new, he might feel this feeling. And he goes on like this. This passage pushes my back all the time.

"Often people just don't see what I see. They have too much doubt. You can't do your best when you're doubting yourself. If you don't believe yourself, who will?"

If you don't believe yourself, who will? I think this sentence is the truth. No one believes you when you challenge something new. I think it's not easy to believe ourselves but if we don't believe ourselves, we can't achieve something new and valuable. So we need to progress one by one to enable us to believe ourselves. If we have the moment that we can't believe ourselves, we need to think about the reason why we can't believe ourselves and change ourselves on our own. Thus his words tell me the importance of believing myself.

His Attitude

As you know, his unique styles made some trends. For example, he used to wear white socks and only one glove. It seems that these styles were not accepted at first, according to this book. But he continued to do so. These extraordinary style are cause of his this way of thinking.

"My attitude is if fashion says it's forbidden, I'm going to do it."

I love this. I think this thought produces various kinds of arts. If there is the mainstream, new artists such as musicians, poets, fashion designers, writers, thinkers, architects, film directors and so on break it. I wrote about Coco Chanel before. “About COCO CHANEL 1/2“, “About COCO CHANEL 2/2“. She broke the mainstream at that time, too. For example, she invented new styles of female hats by stripping off the birds and feathers of them and making them simple. And she transformed feminine silhouette by shortening dresses to reveal females' ankle and eliminating corsets. Recently these styles are mainstream thanks to her. But these styles were not popular until she changed the customs of ladies.

As you know a lot of arts are underground style at first. But artists change the world gradually. Soon the new form might be a standard of this world. And at that time other new form of art will come up somewhere else around the world. This circulation will continue forever. So I love the art. Art changes our framework and way of thinking. Art expand our thought, feeling, rule, and common sense. Thus art makes us free from everything. Art is the light that shines on our darkness. So if we think that I am different from others, no problem. Art will be born there.

About Art

"I love to put my soul into something and have people accept it and like it. That's a wonderful feeling. I appreciate art for that reason. I'm a great admirer of Michelangelo and of how he poured his soul into his work. He knew in his heart that one day he would die, but that the work he did would live on."

I agree with his idea. Our life is limited. But arts and our legacy are unlimited. What do you want to leave after your death? If you are interested in this question, I recommend you to read this article I wrote before. "What do you want to leave after your death? About the book "The Greatest Legacy" by Kanzo Uchimura".

About Love

"I believe in love—very much so—how can you not believe after you've experienced it? I believe in relationships."

I believe in love as he believes in love. So I write my songs about love. I'm sometimes afraid of love, but I believe in love. How about you? Have you experienced love?

Message from "Man in the Mirror"

" "Man in the Mirror" is a great message. I love that song. If John Lennon was alive, he could really relate to that song because it says that if you want to make the world a better place, you have to work on yourself and change first. It's the same thing Kennedy was talking about when he said, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change. Start with the man in the mirror. Start with yourself. Don't be looking at all the other things. Start with you. That's the truth. That's what Martin Luther King meant and Gandhi too. That's what I believe."

We can't change others. But we can change ourselves. Soon our way of living will change others. The human history proves this truth. So let's start with ourselves. There might be tough times. But it's okay. Don't try to change others. Just start with ourselves.

Important Thing

"The most important thing is to be true to yourself and those you love and work hard. I mean, work like there's no tomorrow. Train. Strive. I mean, really train and cultivate your talent to the highest degree. Be the best at what you do. Get to know more about your field than anybody alive. Use the tools of your trade, if it's books or a floor to dance on or a body of water to swim in. Whatever it is, it's yours. That's what I've always tried to remember."

I always try to put this into practice. So I always ask me, "Am I true to myself?" many many times. And I ponder that I have to know myself more and more whenever I ask this question. So I think it's vital for me to have the time to look back at myself and write down song lyrics and my feeling and thought to know myself. And If I find myself to be true to myself, I can focus on essential things. Are you true to yourself?

Thus this book and his way of living tell us a lot of things to live better. So if you never read this book, I recommend you to read this book. You'll find a lot of ideas and inspiration in this book. Thanks for your reading. I hope you'll enjoy this. Feel free to leave me a comment.

The things Michael Jackson's autobiography "Moonwalk" gives me 1/2

Today I want to write about Michael Jackson's autobiography "Moonwalk". This book is a must for me. I want to write about the things this book gives me. This book supports and encourages me every time I face difficulties. This book is so inspirational. So it's difficult for me to write about all of this book. But this book is helpful for a lot of people to think about the way to live. So I want to pick up and quote some of his words. And I'll write about them in terms of specific views.

How should we learn

"My mother was a great provider. If she found out that one of us had an interest in something, she would encourage it if there was any possible way. If I developed an interest in movie stars, for instance, she'd come home with an armful of books about famous stars."

Michael wrote like this. He is known as an avid reader. This his mother's way might make him read a lot of books and grow him. And he wrote this in another chapter.

"I told them that Walt Disney was a hero of mine and that I was very interested in Disney's history and philosophy. I wanted to do something with them that Mr. Disney himself would have approved. I had read a number of books about Walt Disney and his creative empire, and it was very important to me to do things as he would have."

As he wrote, he read a lot of books about Walt Disney and learn from them. I think these experiences help him to become an extraordinary man like Walt Disney. I read a lot of books and watched some documentary films about Walt Disney, too. His way of living told us the importance of dreaming and believing and being tough when we face difficulties. He is such an inspirational man for me, too. So I want to write about him in the near future, also. Thus Michael learned from reading. In addition to reading, he learned from his stars by watching them as well.

"I carefully watched all the stars because I wanted to learn as much as I could. I'd stared at their feet, the way they held their arms, the way they gripped a microphone, trying to decipher what they were doing and why they were doing it. — All of this was a very important part of my education."

He is not different from us. He tried to learn from his stars also. But I think I don't want to forget this critical fact. He tried to decipher what his stars were doing and why they were doing it. He didn't only watch them but also thought about why they were doing. I guess these words are so meaningful. We have to decipher the essence of a lot of things which are hidden, not just watching the surface of things. And he says like this.

"There are so many artists and musicians and writers I admire. — A great showman touches everybody; that's the real test of greatness and these men have it. Like Michelangelo's work, it touches you, I don't care who you are. I am always so excited when I get a chance to meet someone whose work has affected me in some way. Maybe I've read a book that has touched me deeply or made me think about things that I haven't focused on before. A certain song or style of singing can excite me or move me and become a favorite that I'll never tire of hearing. A picture or a painting can reveal a universe. In the same vein, an actor's performance or a collective performance can transform me."

I agree with his idea. I've been inspired a lot of forms of art, too. All of them transformed me. As he says, I believe a lot of arts grow us. Art is everything.

How should we live

He tried to control his life by himself all the time. I think this is such a tough thing but at the same time so important thing.

"When I feel that something is not right, I have to speak up. I know most people don't think of me as tough or strong-willed, but that's just because they don't know me. Eventually my brothers and I reached a point with Motown where we were miserable but no one was saying anything. My brothers didn't say anything. My father didn't say anything. So it was up to me to arrange a meeting with Berry Gordy and talk to him. I was the one who had to say that we - the Jackson 5 - were going to leave Motown."

I am overwhelmed his this courage. It's not easy to do so. But our important decisions only change our life. It's true. These words ask me the question, "Do you control your life and work by yourself?". And he faced another tough situation after this. But he tried to control his life by himself at that time also.

"In 1979 I turned twenty-one years old and began to take full control of my career. My father's personal management contract with me ran out around this time, and although it was a hard decision, the contract was not renewed. Trying to fire your dad is not easy. — All I wanted was control over my own life. And I took it. I had to do it."

After important decisions on our own if we fail something, we can't blame others for the failure. And we can stand up again and start again. So I believe that taking control of our lives like him is crucial. I always try to control my life by myself. I don't want to blame others for my failure. If I think I failed something, I decide to change my way of living, and I try to make the path I proceed right one. That's all. Maybe he thinks so, too.

Today I put the pen here though I can't write about other important aspects of this book. So soon I'll write about different parts of this book. Especially I love his way of thinking. I want to write about those aspects in the next posts. Thanks for your reading. And I hope you'll enjoy this. Feel free to leave me a comment.

The things the picture book "The Missing Piece Meets the Big O" by Shel Silverstein tells

Today I want to write about my favorite picture book "The Missing Piece Meets the Big O" by Shel Silverstein. I'm addicted to his picture books. That's because they describe the human life by such simple and minimal words and drawings. So his books are not just for kids, it's for adults also.

Okay. Let's dive into this book. There's a missing piece which forms a triangle. This missing piece (he) meets a lot of unique parts to fit. Some other piece don't fit him. Some other piece fits him, but they can't roll together. Besides these two pieces, he meets various parts one after another. This process is like a human life. I call to mind a lot of persons I've met in my life.

  After he met some pieces, at last, he finds an excellent one for him. The scene is full of happiness. And I superimpose the view on my real-life event I've never forgot. But soon after this scene, a change occurs. He begins to grow. And he can't fit the piece. And the one said, 

"I didn't know you were going to grow."

"I'm lookin' for my missin' piece, one that won't increase…"

And it leaves him behind. This scene wrings my heart because I remember the same view I've experienced. All human try to grow better. But we sometimes lose something important in the process. I was shocked by this scene that describes this truth of life when I read this book for the first time. How about you? I think you ever have a similar experience in your life. But this is not all. Wait, there's more.

Soon he meets Big O. He can't fit Big O. That's because the form of Big O is a perfect circle and there's no space to fit for him. So he says,

"That is too bad."

"I was hoping that perhaps I could roll with you…"

And Big O replies.

"You cannot roll with me."

Big O goes on.

"But perhaps you can roll by yourself."

Though he hears Big O's these words, he says he can't roll because his shape is not a circle but a triangle. But Big O asks him.

"Have you ever tried?"

After this conversation, Big O leaves him behind and goes away. And he starts trying to roll little by little on his own. And his edges begin to wear off and his shape begins to change. At last his form becomes circle. And after he keeps rolling forward, he finds Big O again. And then both of them roll together side by side.

 I think this story tells us so important these two things.

1. Importance of challenges and changing.

2. The shape of true love.

  At first, a challenge changed him. Now he can go everywhere he wants to go. He doesn't need to wait for other pieces. So I often ask myself whenever I face some critical aspect of my life.

"Have I ever tried?"

  Second I think this story tells us the shape of true love. If we love someone, we are likely to depend on him or her. But It's not a true love. We should stand by ourselves each other at first and next live our lives together. Moreover, we are likely to change others. But we can change ourselves for him or her at first instead of trying to do that.

  I'll read this book again and again from now on, too. This book is one of my marvelous textbooks for my life. So I presented this book to my nephew for his two years old birthday gift. I hope that this book is irreplaceable one for his life. And if you've never read this book, I recommend you to read. I believe this book has the power to support your life. Thanks for your reading. Feel free to leave me a comment.

"What makes us special" About the book "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

I love the book "The Little Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. As almost all people know this story, there might be no need to write about this book. But I love this book so much. So I want to talk about this book and rethink about the way to live better.

I want to write about a lot of things concerning this book. But especially I want to write about the scene that the little prince finds the important thing for him. The fox he met told him the important thing. The fox says like this.

"Men have no more time to understand anything. They buy things all ready made at the shops. But there is no shop anywhere where one can buy friendship, and so men have no friends any more. If you want a friend, tame me…"

What do you think about this passage? Indeed this is a matter of course. But sometimes we're likely to forget this vital truth. I need love and friendship from others. But do I give love and friendship to others? This fox words make me think about my way of life. And after these words, the little prince finds the important thing to him. He says like this to thousand of roses he met.

"You are not at all like my rose."

And he goes on.

"You are beautiful, but you are empty, one could not die for you. To be sure, an ordinary passerby would think that my rose looked just like you−− the rose that belongs to me. But in herself alone she is more important than all the hundreds of you other roses: because it is she that I have watered; because it is she that I have put under the glass globe; because it is she that I have sheltered behind the screen; because it is for her that I have killed the caterpillars (except the two or three that we saved to become butterflies); because it is she that I have listened to, when she grumbled, or boasted, or even sometimes when she said nothing. Because she is my rose."

This passage moved me all the time, and I find the love no one can buy here. I find most essential thing in my life. And the fox says.

"What is essential is invisible to the eye."

There is this sentence in my heart all the time.

"What is essential is invisible to the eye."

I love these words. So as not to forget these words, I always use the key case of The Little Prince I bought when I visited the museum of The Little Prince in Hakone, Japan. What makes you special to your essential person? I believe that the time we spend on others makes us irreplaceable. And at last we'll find love.

Thanks for your reading. I hope you'll enjoy this. Feel free to leave me a comment.

What do you want to leave after your death? About the book "The Greatest Legacy" by Kanzo Uchimura

  Today I want to write about the book "The Greatest Legacy" by Kanzo Uchimura (March 26, 1861 – March 28, 1930). He is a Japanese Christian religious leader, writer, and thinker during the Meiji era, Taisho era, and early Showa era. This book describes the things humankind can leave behind in this world after their death. So this book helps us think about how to live better. I read this book several years ago. But I often remember the contents which this book wrote about.

 At first, please think about this question before getting to the main point of this book.

"What is the purpose of your life?"

Could you answer this simple question? I think it's not easy to answer this question. But now I have my answer to this question in my way. How about you? If you don't have your answer, don't worry. Today might change the direction of your life to proceed. I believe this book helps you think about the answer to this question. Okay. Let's dive into the main contents of this book.

 In this book, he enumerates these four things as legacies which humankind can leave behind to the next generation.

1. Money

2. Business

3. Thought

4. Art of Living

This way of thinking is so clear and straightforward. And it's easy to understand. He talks about these four things by quoting some episodes and examples. Here I won't explain each of them. If you interested in the contents, please check out his book.

  When I read this book, I thought about my favorite artists. For example, Michael Jackson left behind his business, thought, and art of living. So the film of moonwalk performed at Motown 25th anniversary concert inspired me a lot still now. His Super Bowl performance in 1993, too. And a lot of passages of his autobiography "Moonwalk" encourages me every moment after his death. I want to write about Michael Jackson and his book "Moonwalk" in the near future, too. And Walt Disney left behind all of them, also. Every time Disney's new film covers Japanese film theaters, I feel as if he is living somewhere else now. And some books written about him and his words saved me many many times. 

  Coco Chanel left behind CHANEL to the world. I don't buy CHANEL's cloth. But her thought and her style, her art of living give me courage and strength to go on. And you can find CHANEL shops around the world, and you can enjoy her world though she had already died. I wrote about her before. If you're interested in her, please check out these articles. "About COCO CHANEL 1/2", "About COCO CHANEL 2/2". 

  I respect my favorite Japanese writer, poet, illustrator, and lyricist Takashi Yanase. He is best known as the creator of the picture book and anime series Anpanman. I've never seen Japanese boys and girls who never know Anpanman. His way of living encourages me a lot. So I often read his book again and again. I want to write about him and his book soon, too. Japanese novelist Osamu Dazai left behind essential things to me, also. When I was born, he'd already died. But I read almost all his works, and I felt like as if I talked with him.

  The list is endless. So I stop here today. Now it's your turn.

“What do you want to leave behind after your death?”

Money? Business? Thought? Or the art of living? Or all of them? Well, to think about this subject helps you to think about the answer to the question of the beginning. 

"What is the purpose of your life?"

  Thanks for your reading. I hope you'll enjoy this. Feel free to leave me a comment.