|
Post by moonstreet on Nov 30, 2022 19:33:39 GMT
Some of you may be aware from other online places that I travel to LA and go to Forest Lawn every June 25. I know its not for everyone and we all have our own way of dealing with that day. My way is spending the day at the cemetery. At the start I used to travel with a group of fan friends and we would have a car and go to many places around LA and to Neverland. Since about 2014 I have been going on my own. I don't drive and I use public transport in LA. Some years I have taken side trips and visited places like New Orleans and San Francisco and this year in June I did an Amtrak overnight train journey from Seattle to LA. I usually go for about 2 weeks, the first first week is LA and Forest Lawn and the second week in Disneyland. I have now booked my hotels for June 2023. I have booked 5 nights at a hotel in Downtown LA which is on the direct bus route to Forest Lawn. While in LA I will meet up with friends and most likely go to Universal Studios, I haven't decided yet. I will then get a car service to transfer to Anaheim. I have booked 5 nights in Anaheim, at a motel across the street from Disneyland. I will either do 3 or 4 days at Disneyland, I haven't decided yet. After Christmas I will book Aer Lingus Dublin to LAX direct flights. I know not many Europeans go to Forest Lawn on June 25, but I just thought you might be interested. Nearer the time I will do a flower order from Forest Lawn flower shop to collect on the day. I buy flowers to collect for outside instead of getting them delivered inside. This is is a photo of my banner from 2019, you might have seen it in photos and videos from June 25 in various years
|
|
|
Post by butterflies2 on Dec 2, 2022 1:08:11 GMT
Do they give access to his gravestone for that one particular day? I’ve thought of going too
|
|
|
Post by moonstreet on Dec 2, 2022 7:27:40 GMT
Do they give access to his gravestone for that one particular day? I’ve thought of going too You can visit Forest Lawn at any time, it does not have to be on June 25. However you can only go to the outside of The Mausoleum. Only family can actually go inside. There are stone benches on the patio and terrace where people sit and leave flowers for Michael.
|
|
|
Post by NatureCriminal7896 on Dec 3, 2022 15:27:57 GMT
Nice to see fans visiting Michael and nice that the family allow it. 😊😊😊
even though i'm American Forest Lawn is far away from me. maybe one i'll visit but i doubt it because i don't travel.
shoutout to you guys. 👍👍👍👍👍
|
|
|
Post by moonstreet on Dec 3, 2022 15:54:10 GMT
Nice to see fans visiting Michael and nice that the family allow it. 😊😊😊 even though i'm American Forest Lawn is far away from me. maybe one i'll visit but i doubt it because i don't travel. shoutout to you guys. 👍👍👍👍👍 Ive been every year since 2010, well except 2020 and 2021 when there were Covid travel bans. The family have no say in allowing fans to visit Michael. Its Forest Lawn that allow us to visit and sit outside The Mausoleum. Forest Lawn management and security have been very good to the fans and its them we thank for allowing the fan gathering every June 25. Its Forest Lawn management and security who allow the flowers for Michael to be left on the patio. The family have nothing to do with the fan gathering on June 25. Its Forest Lawn rules about only allowing family into The Mausoleum and not the family either.
|
|
|
Post by amaya on Dec 6, 2022 1:41:49 GMT
Thanks for sharing your story, moonstreet. I've only been to Forest Lawn once, and it was in 2019. Went there on the 25th and also to his Walk of Fame star later that night. I hadn't considered going at all initially but after LN... I just felt I had to.
And I'm glad I did. It was wonderful! So much love and peace. Was cool to see people from all over the world there, too. It really showed how Michael was able to bring so many people together.
Not sure if I'll go back again. As wonderful as it was to connect to other fans in that moment, it was also rough emotionally. Especially knowing that getting up to the door of the mausoleum was the closest I would ever get to him physically. >.<
|
|
|
Post by butterflies2 on Dec 6, 2022 4:55:56 GMT
I don’t know how I would feel if I went. The last time I cried over missing him was 4 years ago, and I still feel I have hidden anger and sadness that doesn’t always come up cause my meds numbed me since then. I think it would feel closer to home and I would ask the staff there to sprinkle holy water I bring on his grave
|
|
|
Post by moonstreet on Dec 7, 2022 9:19:10 GMT
Thanks for sharing your story, moonstreet. I've only been to Forest Lawn once, and it was in 2019. Went there on the 25th and also to his Walk of Fame star later that night. I hadn't considered going at all initially but after LN... I just felt I had to. And I'm glad I did. It was wonderful! So much love and peace. Was cool to see people from all over the world there, too. It really showed how Michael was able to bring so many people together. Not sure if I'll go back again. As wonderful as it was to connect to other fans in that moment, it was also rough emotionally. Especially knowing that getting up to the door of the mausoleum was the closest I would ever get to him physically. >.< Oh wow, we probably saw each other. I used to sit under the tree opposite The Mausoleum as that was the best place for shade during the day when the sun came out. That tree is gone now, they removed it in 2020 as it was not healthy. I guess it must be hard for people who never had the chance to see him in real life to now only have Forest Lawn. For me its the opposite, even now its hard to get my head around that I will never see him or talk to him again.
|
|
|
Post by moonstreet on Dec 7, 2022 9:33:00 GMT
I don’t know how I would feel if I went. The last time I cried over missing him was 4 years ago, and I still feel I have hidden anger and sadness that doesn’t always come up cause my meds numbed me since then. I think it would feel closer to home and I would ask the staff there to sprinkle holy water I bring on his grave I know fans have all sorts of reasons for going or not going. You sound like one of my friends. Every year I invite her to travel with me and every year she says she cant. I know its not money or time off, its purely the fact that going to Forest Lawn she has to face the reality that he is gone. She has told me before that in her head he is just somewhere like Bahrain, somewhere private where he is living his life away from the public. When he was in Bahrain she would never have been able to travel there and she really only saw him when he came to The UK. So in her head thats the reason she hasnt seen him since 2009. Also I feel it depends on how you were brought up, and how deaths are dealt with in your culture / religion / family. Im Irish and a funeral and burial is a family celebration, we have a party for the person and then each year on the anniversary of the death, we go to the cemetery to visit and remember the person. So thats what I do for Michael. I totally understand how other cultures and familys have a different view of funerals and death anniversaries. I would never ever judge anyone for not going to Forest Lawn. And I would never ever judge anyone for going to Forest Lawn on June 25 or on any other day. I have faced all sorts of negativity from fans for going to Forest Lawn. And I have also seen the negativity and judgement from fans about the fans at Forest Lawn on June 25. No one has the right to judge and be negative about how others deal with grief and the loss of someone they feel a connection to.
|
|
|
Post by pg13 on Dec 7, 2022 18:50:37 GMT
I don’t know how I would feel if I went. The last time I cried over missing him was 4 years ago, and I still feel I have hidden anger and sadness that doesn’t always come up cause my meds numbed me since then. I think it would feel closer to home and I would ask the staff there to sprinkle holy water I bring on his grave I know fans have all sorts of reasons for going or not going. You sound like one of my friends. Every year I invite her to travel with me and every year she says she cant. I know its not money or time off, its purely the fact that going to Forest Lawn she has to face the reality that he is gone. She has told me before that in her head he is just somewhere like Bahrain, somewhere private where he is living his life away from the public. When he was in Bahrain she would never have been able to travel there and she really only saw him when he came to The UK. So in her head thats the reason she hasnt seen him since 2009. Also I feel it depends on how you were brought up, and how deaths are dealt with in your culture / religion / family. Im Irish and a funeral and burial is a family celebration, we have a party for the person and then each year on the anniversary of the death, we go to the cemetery to visit and remember the person. So thats what I do for Michael. I totally understand how other cultures and familys have a different view of funerals and death anniversaries. I would never ever judge anyone for not going to Forest Lawn. And I would never ever judge anyone for going to Forest Lawn on June 25 or on any other day. I have faced all sorts of negativity from fans for going to Forest Lawn. And I have also seen the negativity and judgement from fans about the fans at Forest Lawn on June 25. No one has the right to judge and be negative about how others deal with grief and the loss of someone they feel a connection to. A celebration type party? I can't picture how that would go - can you elaborate? The most recent funeral in my family in Northern Ireland was a traditional Catholic service in Holy Cross in the Ardoyne. It wasn't what I could describe as a "party for the person". Mind you, my mother and aunts stayed in my relatives wee house sleeping around her coffin in the living room reminiscing about various times, some laughter too. The younger generation - myself and those half my age - we all find it odd to sleep in a room all night with a coffin! So, that's a big generational change there. As for Forest Lawn, I plan to go there just the once one day when I can. Won't be for a long time yet. My idea is to pay respects to Michael in LA before going to Seattle for Bruce and Brandon Lee. Personally, if I go then I wouldn't go on or around 25th June. It'd be well before or after. I prefer privacy, really, as my experience is of hardly anyone around. Just how I like it.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2022 19:20:05 GMT
I know fans have all sorts of reasons for going or not going. You sound like one of my friends. Every year I invite her to travel with me and every year she says she cant. I know its not money or time off, its purely the fact that going to Forest Lawn she has to face the reality that he is gone. She has told me before that in her head he is just somewhere like Bahrain, somewhere private where he is living his life away from the public. When he was in Bahrain she would never have been able to travel there and she really only saw him when he came to The UK. So in her head thats the reason she hasnt seen him since 2009. Also I feel it depends on how you were brought up, and how deaths are dealt with in your culture / religion / family. Im Irish and a funeral and burial is a family celebration, we have a party for the person and then each year on the anniversary of the death, we go to the cemetery to visit and remember the person. So thats what I do for Michael. I totally understand how other cultures and familys have a different view of funerals and death anniversaries. I would never ever judge anyone for not going to Forest Lawn. And I would never ever judge anyone for going to Forest Lawn on June 25 or on any other day. I have faced all sorts of negativity from fans for going to Forest Lawn. And I have also seen the negativity and judgement from fans about the fans at Forest Lawn on June 25. No one has the right to judge and be negative about how others deal with grief and the loss of someone they feel a connection to. A celebration type party? I can't picture how that would go - can you elaborate? The most recent funeral in my family in Northern Ireland was a traditional Catholic service in Holy Cross in the Ardoyne. It wasn't what I could describe as a "party for the person". Mind you, my mother and aunts stayed in my relatives wee house sleeping around her coffin in the living room reminiscing about various times, some laughter too. The younger generation - myself and those half my age - we all find it odd to sleep in a room all night with a coffin! So, that's a big generational change there. As for Forest Lawn, I plan to go there just the once one day when I can. Won't be for a long time yet. My idea is to pay respects to Michael in LA before going to Seattle for Bruce and Brandon Lee. Personally, if I go then I wouldn't go on or around 25th June. It'd be well before or after. I prefer privacy, really, as my experience is of hardly anyone around. Just how I like it. I felt the same when I visited Garden Lodge, Freddie's house. I just stood there. For ages alone, and it was lovely. I always prefer going alone with plenty of time.
|
|
|
Post by pg13 on Dec 7, 2022 19:26:26 GMT
A celebration type party? I can't picture how that would go - can you elaborate? The most recent funeral in my family in Northern Ireland was a traditional Catholic service in Holy Cross in the Ardoyne. It wasn't what I could describe as a "party for the person". Mind you, my mother and aunts stayed in my relatives wee house sleeping around her coffin in the living room reminiscing about various times, some laughter too. The younger generation - myself and those half my age - we all find it odd to sleep in a room all night with a coffin! So, that's a big generational change there. As for Forest Lawn, I plan to go there just the once one day when I can. Won't be for a long time yet. My idea is to pay respects to Michael in LA before going to Seattle for Bruce and Brandon Lee. Personally, if I go then I wouldn't go on or around 25th June. It'd be well before or after. I prefer privacy, really, as my experience is of hardly anyone around. Just how I like it. I felt the same when I visited Garden Lodge, Freddie's house. I just stood there. For ages alone, and it was lovely. I always prefer going alone with plenty of time. Yeah, your own reflections without anyone else around as a distraction. I well understand that. You had a wee monologue going in your head?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2022 20:07:56 GMT
I felt the same when I visited Garden Lodge, Freddie's house. I just stood there. For ages alone, and it was lovely. I always prefer going alone with plenty of time. Yeah, your own reflections without anyone else around as a distraction. I well understand that. You had a wee monologue going in your head? Kinda, and I just found listening to The Show Must Go On and These Are The Days Of Our Lives just standing there to be moments I'll never forget.
|
|
|
Post by butterflies2 on Dec 8, 2022 1:35:29 GMT
I don’t know how I would feel if I went. The last time I cried over missing him was 4 years ago, and I still feel I have hidden anger and sadness that doesn’t always come up cause my meds numbed me since then. I think it would feel closer to home and I would ask the staff there to sprinkle holy water I bring on his grave I know fans have all sorts of reasons for going or not going. You sound like one of my friends. Every year I invite her to travel with me and every year she says she cant. I know its not money or time off, its purely the fact that going to Forest Lawn she has to face the reality that he is gone. She has told me before that in her head he is just somewhere like Bahrain, somewhere private where he is living his life away from the public. When he was in Bahrain she would never have been able to travel there and she really only saw him when he came to The UK. So in her head thats the reason she hasnt seen him since 2009. Also I feel it depends on how you were brought up, and how deaths are dealt with in your culture / religion / family. Im Irish and a funeral and burial is a family celebration, we have a party for the person and then each year on the anniversary of the death, we go to the cemetery to visit and remember the person. So thats what I do for Michael. I totally understand how other cultures and familys have a different view of funerals and death anniversaries. I would never ever judge anyone for not going to Forest Lawn. And I would never ever judge anyone for going to Forest Lawn on June 25 or on any other day. I have faced all sorts of negativity from fans for going to Forest Lawn. And I have also seen the negativity and judgement from fans about the fans at Forest Lawn on June 25. No one has the right to judge and be negative about how others deal with grief and the loss of someone they feel a connection to. Sorry you had negative feedback on it, don’t listen to them, you know what you had to do and it’s your journey I was interested in going to his grave the first few years and then lost interest after I learned my late grandma didn’t believe in visiting graveyards and doing prayers at congregation has the same affect so I stuck to that, but now it’s at a point where I think of him while praying too, for his soul to be at peace, so I think I need to go to get closure on it, though I may be hard on myself if I don’t cry or feel anything, cause I’m mainly numb
|
|
|
Post by NatureCriminal7896 on Dec 19, 2022 23:56:13 GMT
I tend to stay away from things like this. if i ever went i would go privately.
i feel every fan should have the right to pay their respect but Michael himself was a spiritual person. so i mean if this isn't your thing don't go and if you do want to go please be respectful. we should be glad the family allow fans visit not everyone allow people to see their family member resting place.
everyone grief differently but i been around people who act foolish during things like this and no it wasn't because they were in the moment but being disrespectful.
|
|