There are probably two dozen life lessons to be learned from The King of Pop's passing. One lesson in particular is one I hope I never forget... but more on that later.
Fame is a drug, but much more like coffee and alcohol than crack. If you take crack, we know exactly what is going to happen to you. If you're on coffee or alcohol (or fame), the outcome is far more unpredictable. Results vary by individual. But either way, if you get too much of it (fame), bad things will happen. Even Bono sings that no one should be too good at celebrity. And if there ever was a lethal dose of fame, people like Elvis and Michael certainly had it.
But here is my real takeaway from the media circus that is Michael Jackson's death. If you are a parent, a wife, a husband, or you sincerely love anyone more than you love yourself; pay attention to the fifteen second speech that Michael's daughter Paris gave at his extremely public memorial service. There was genuine, deep, real, unscripted, sadness from here father's passing. Possibly unknowingly, she showed the whole world her deepest hurt. If you saw it, and were not even temporarily moved, then check your pulse, the girl lost her father. It is sorrow at its deepest.
It is no secret now that Michael was routinely taking drugs that doctors now say created the perfect storm for the event of his death. I can not imagine that anyone is shocked to learn there was at least some substance abuse in his fame filled life. But I feel confident if Michael could have seen the sadness of his children, family and loved ones, (but primarily his children) at his own memorial service, he would have quit those drugs cold turkey, and never looked back.
I can't think of anything that I wouldn't stop doing (or start doing) to ensure that I never have to see my daughter Ava go through that kind of pain.
Very well said Matt. I think children are the best judge of characters when it comes to parents. She didn't seem to resent him, or seem angry at him like you might find with a child who has parental issues. She flat out misses him. Sure it was only a few seconds... but maybe enough to give MJ the benefit of the doubt as the kind of father he was... and we can never really know what dealings & demons he had to deal with to protect them from the media or those who'd wish to exploit them. 
