I’m Johanna. I’m an MJ fan. I started this project in 2010 because I wanted to do something to remember Michael, but I didn’t know what. I wanted to go to a tribute concert, but there was none. I thought of going to California, to Forest Lawn, to put flowers on his grave. But it would cost a few thousand dollars to travel there, and even then I still can’t put flowers on his grave, so what’s the point?
Then I found out that fans were collecting money to send weekly bouquets of flowers to Michael’s tomb, so I thought that it would be a cheaper option than travelling there myself. When I saw how much the flowers cost (US$250 a week, which adds up to US$13,000 a year), I thought, wouldn’t it be better to give this money to the poor instead? Wouldn’t that make Michael equally happy (if not happier) than to leave some flowers at his grave, which would just die and get tossed into the trash in a few days? $13,000 is a lot of money to throw into the rubbish bin! $13,000 a year could make life better for so many people, and it would leave an impact on the world that would last for more than just two days.
[Update 2013: It’s more like $45,000 now.]
So I thought, instead of giving my money to the florist, I will give it to a children’s charity instead, in Michael’s honour. That would be my gift to him on his birthday. He cared so much about children, perhaps it would make him happy to know that we are helping those near and dear to his heart, that the children have not been forgotten just because he is no longer around.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if all his fans got together and really made a difference? 1,000 of us can give to 1,000 different charities, but if we all came together and pooled our resources, we can make a big impact together! If we can collectively spend $13,000 a year on flowers (and that’s not even counting flowers for his anniversary and birthday yet), why not give the same to help others?
Michael did not come here just to entertain us. He had repeatedly stated that his mission was to make the world a better place. Even though he is no longer here to do that, we still are. We can continue what he started, and do it in his honour because he inspired us to!
So, what better way to celebrate Michael’s birthday than to celebrate his life – by remembering him for all the good that he had done, and all the love that he had shared during his years on earth. He made the world a better place--and so can we!
If you wanna make the world
A better place
Take a look at yourself
And make a change!
This project was started in collaboration with MJJ Board, which has since closed its doors and its members moved to MJJ Eternal.
