Once there was a little boy who loved to dance and sing. He danced before he could walk and he sang before he could talk. The music he heard in his head and all around him was so beautiful, it flowed right out of him and into the world.
The little boy lived with his parents and eight brothers and sisters in a small house. The father worked hard at a steel mill every day and, on most evenings, the family gathered in the living room to sing together. The parents were happy to have their children home, where they knew they were safe.
One day, the father was late coming home. When he arrived, he was holding a shiny new guitar. The children were excited, but their mother knew the family needed many other things, much more than they needed a guitar. She also knew that her husband had a dream. His dream was that, through music, their children would have a chance at a better life, one that might otherwise not be possible for them.
The boys in the family began to practice together every day. The father was very strict and expected a lot from his sons. The little boy danced and sang right along with his older brothers. With his beautiful voice, he soon became the lead singer of the group. The little house was bursting with music.
When the father knew they were ready, he entered his sons in a talent contest – they won. Over time, they won more contests, and were soon playing at parties and nightclubs almost every night.
Someone from a record company saw the boys perform and asked them to make a record. This was the chance the father had been waiting for. Before long, the family moved to California and the group began to enjoy the success their father had imagined.
The little boy was totally comfortable and confident while performing and seemed much older than his ten years. When he sang and danced, he put everything he had into every song. He sometimes felt as if he had become the music. By the time he was twelve years old, he and his brothers had recorded four hit records.
Although he loved performing, the little boy often wished he could be a kid like any other. He saw children playing in the park across the street from where he went to rehearse after his lessons each day. He could not join them because his job was to record music. This made him feel sad. Even though he was now well known as a child singer, he was lonely.
The boy knew in his heart that his talents were a gift of nature, meant for him to share with the world. He thought, by doing his best at expressing his gifts, he could help others to find theirs. He began to branch away from the family group to write and sing his own songs. He was a perfectionist and, when his music was recorded the way he heard it in his head, the results were amazing. His songs became the biggest hits ever, and he became the biggest star ever.
Being famous meant he could not be like other people. Simple things, such as shopping or going to a movie, were no longer easy. Fans were always crowding around to touch him, talk to him and ask for his autograph. Although he was happy with the success of his music, being a shy person, the boy now spent much of his time with windows separating him from the rest of the world.
People loved the boy for his music, but he also wanted to be loved for the person he was inside. He found it was children he could trust to always be natural and honest. They liked him for himself and were not impressed by fame. They just wanted to have fun, and so did he.
The boy had spent his childhood in an adult world. When he grew up, he never stopped enjoying childlike things like a good water balloon fight, climbing trees and watching cartoons.
He bought a ranch and filled it with everything he had not been able to enjoy in his childhood. There was an amusement park, video arcade, zoo, theatre and a candy and ice cream shop. He invited sick and underprivileged children to his ranch to enjoy a day of fun. Because of his own lack of a normal childhood, he felt the pain of all children who were not able to enjoy theirs. He visited hospitals and orphanages all over the world and gave millions of dollars to charity, to help children.
His fans appreciated his gentle, loving and humble nature, as much as his amazing talent. They showed him never ending loyalty and support over a lifetime of entertaining. The boy expressed his love for his fans by doing his best for them, musically and creatively. With each new project he challenged himself to create what had never been done before. His example inspired people to try to be the best they could be, at whatever they loved to do.
The boy had become a man and was proud of his work. He had three children of his own and was devoted to being a good father to them. He taught them they could do anything in life, if they wanted it enough and were willing to work hard. He made sure they had every chance to enjoy their childhood and, he told them every day how much he loved them.
The boy had done what he had always been inspired to do.
Sing, dance, and make a difference.
The music, the memories and the message,
will live on in love,
ever after.
by Brenda Jenkyns
Copyright (c) 2010
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