It's true we make a better day

I watched Michael Jackson's memorial from start to finish today. I felt that I owed it to this man who made such a difference to me and to so many others. And what a wonderful tribute this memorial was. Everything about the event today highlighted what was great about Michael Jackson, and I am not ashamed to say that I shed a lot of tears during the two hours.

Of course I loved it when Jennifer Hudson sang "Will You Be There?" which is a guilty pleasure of mine. And Usher's performance of "Gone Too Soon" was extremely moving, as was Mariah's rendition of "I'll Be There." Al Sharpton really hit some important points during his speech, especially about the racial barriers that MJ helped break down in his early career.

But here are the true highlights for me:

• Jermaine Jackson singing the Charlie Chaplin song "Smile." Jermaine did a wonderful job, his voice smooth and heartbreaking. Apparently this was Michael's favorite song, and the song was a very emotional point in the memorial.

• Brooke Shields' speech/tribute was so moving, true, and poignant. She humanized Michael in a way that no one else has, and she spoke of Michael as a friend. This eulogy was very powerful.

• The performance of "We Are the World" and "Heal the World" near the end really brought the waterworks. Michael did so much to help so many people, and ending with these two songs capped off the afternoon very well. And the fact that this performance was similar to the one that would have been done during MJ's new concerts added a sad punch. Mostly though I thought about how much Michael wanted to help people.

• The family gathered on stage together at the end was beautiful, especially little Paris speaking briefly about her father.

The memorial really showcased how much Michael Jackson meant to people, and though I cried a lot, I am so glad I got to see it.