To anyone else these 2 rocks are just that, two rocks,
nothing else. Perhaps from someones garden,
or driveway, maybe a field? These rocks don’t look so unusual, one is dark in
color and the other one is a little lighter. Both have irregular shapes, as
most rocks do, nothing spectacular. But to me, the owner, these 2 rocks are
very, very special. Being the symbolic person that I am, I have to say, I hold
these little treasures close to my heart. You see, these rocks are from Michael
Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. My ten friends and I visited this place back in
August 2010, the day before Michael’s birthday.
The long drive leading up to
the stopping point, as far as anyone was aloud to go, was quiet and emotional. No one was saying much and from what I can
remember, no music was playing – it was just quiet. The weather that day was
beautiful. We welcomed the afternoon breeze and cloudless sky. It was
breathtaking for me to be there, I’ll never forget my experience, what I felt.
I had almost a need to get as close as I possibly could, just closer… so there I
stood clinging on to the rails of the gate, crying. I kept looking as far ahead
as I possibly could and let my imagination get carried away. If only I was allowed
to go passed those gates, if only. My heart still hurts for that, to be able to
walk inside his home, walk around on the grounds, to be where he was. To be at
a place he dreamed about, built and was able to fulfill one of his callings. At
one point while standing there, I was pretending as if it were 1990 and Michael
was there along with a bus load of children he invited to enjoy his zoo and amusement
park. He loved Neverland, I’m sure.
After a bit of time passed, I recalled that
I had brought along with me my phone which has my photo collection of various pictures
of Michael. While still standing almost in the same spot, for what seems to of
been a very long time, I shifted to the other side of the gate and sat up my
little phone and started my slideshow. I stood there crying, looking at images of him. I was thinking of his life, from start to end. There is so much to this man, it truly does overwhelm me at times. It was hard for me to leave that gate.
A
few of my friends (my pretties, that’s what I call them) were walking around and
looking at all the different flowers, trinkets and the several memorial type tributes
that other people brought. We stopped at the local store and bought sunflowers
to bring. While others felt the need, like I did, to just wander off to be
alone – to reflect. Eventually I did leave the gate and walk around to get a
better view of what we were permitted to see. I made my way over to the stone
wall and sat down. I’m not sure how long we were there but I do know it wasn’t
long enough. We needed to get back to the hotel.
But first, I’ll tell you about
the 2 rocks. As I was sitting on the stone wall, one of my pretties came up to me,
and placed these 2 rocks in my hand. No questions, no why’s, no what if’s – I
can’t remember exactly what she said, if she said anything at all, but I do remember her warm smile. I was
greatly moved by her gesture of thoughtfulness … I felt the need to cry a
little bit more. It was perfect, just a little something of Neverland to take
back home with me which was little over 2,000 miles away. I have mixed feelings
about Neverland. Opinions and thoughts I’d rather not discuss here. However,
these feelings will never divert my longing to be there. I want to go back to that
place, so bad. I will again one day, I’m sure.