What Does "Normal Life" Mean?

I know what it means for me in my world. Each of you probably can speak to what normal life means in yours as well.

Michael Jackson often said that he wanted to live a normal life like a regular person. What would a normal life be like for him at this stage in his life? He has spent 45 of 51 years living on a fast-paced track, vigorously success driven, and constantly surrounded by people who were single-mindedly taking his career to new heights. In the process he grew to live a life with all of the perks and benefits from his well-deserved success. What would it be like for him to suddenly stop and get off of that ride?

A friend suggested that "normal life" for Michael was indeed the way that he lived life because it was the only normal life that he had known since age 5. We debated back and forth for a while until he threw me a curve ball that made me think differently.

Suppose you won a huge lottery and instantly became a multi-millionaire. Suddenly you have no more bills, no worries of how to support yourself or family, no more concerns even of how to save money for a simple vacation. You are able to spend like there is no tomorrow, go where you want to go and do every (good or bad) thing that you have ever dreamed of doing. The question posed to me was "How would you react to that sudden change in your life? I had to really think on that one. On the surface it sounds so easy.

People often romanticize about the "other side". You know that side of the fence where we assume that everything is somehow better. We often look at our lives and presume that the other side is better... but even more... it's assumed that we can easily go there and immediately settle right in.

My friend and I talked a bit more on the subject. After the conversation ended , I was left thinking about the points that were made especially as they relate to all of the talk about MJ wanting to live life as a normal person . Between us... I cannot imagine Michael out on a Sunday afternoon washing his car or mowing his lawn. I just don't see it.

How would he react if his luggage was lost at an airport? What would he do if his car had a flat tire? Would he be able to wait in a long check-out line during the Christmas holiday shopping season? These aren't meant to be silly or facetious questions. These are regular everyday events that occur in the normal lives of regular people.

Again, I ask what would life be like for Michael if he were to attempt to live it as a normal...regular person?

I think it means different things to different people so I can't answer that on behalf of Michael.

I would imagine that he just wanted to be able to go to the store or park without been mobbed by thousands of people.

The thing is, unless he gives it try, he will never know if he can adapt to the so called "normal" life.

So, yeah, I do see him taking the chance.

It would depend on what Michael perceived as being normal. I can imagine what it would be like to have heaps of money and not have to do anything for myself and quite frankly I would be bored out of my mind.
As for Michael living a "normal" life working 9-5, paying bills, being a Saturday morning soccer dad etc. I think it is these things that he has missed in his life.
One thing I think of when I think of how Michael always longed for normality is that he may have wanted something more important than those things that us ordinary people may have and that is TRUE LOYAL FRIENDS, A LONG LASTING MARRIAGE/LOVING FAMILY, TRUST IN PEOPLE and ACCEPTANCE WITHOUT CRITICISM.

This is a very thought provoking question and I'm not sure I that I can answer it definitively. Only Michael knows what he truly wants for the second half of his life so it is diffucult for me to speculate. All I know is I stand beside him 100% in whatever he chooses to do. He deserves to be happy! LOVE YOU!!!

Hopefully he is taking it easy right now and enjoying some peace and quiet!

Rach wrote:I think it means different things to different people so I can't answer that on behalf of Michael.

I would imagine that he just wanted to be able to go to the store or park without been mobbed by thousands of people.

I also think that normal life for Michael would be being able to just go out do some of the things that people do without being mobbed by fans and analyzed by the media. I think he would be able to have loyal friends, a loving marriage and family life either way.