The first thing I saw on FB was, "David Bowie dead at 69". I searched the Internet hoping it was a hoax, but to my dismay, it was true.
I'm in my 50's so I lived my teenage years with Bowie as an icon. A daring, handsome, ambiguous rock star that didn't just wear the persona while performing, but truly seemed to be made of stardust. He was brilliant on and off the stage, in front of and behind the camera.
There was a guy one year ahead of me in school who idolized Bowie, so much so, that he dressed, spoke, strode his way through high school being called David. It would have been silly but he really was that cool. I can only imagine how devastated he is today.
It's not as if I've even seen him live. I'm not an avid concert goer although I've been to see icons like the Rolling Stones, U2, Genisus when Peter Gabriel was still the lead in huge auditoriums, and people like Sarah McLachlan in more intimate venues.
Unlike so many celebrities today, he didn't really live his life in the public eye. Sure there were stories, most of them seemed to be more urban legends, but for the ever evolving performer, he only shared his public life with us.
His songs are familiar to my kids not so much because they are still played on the radio, but rather because they are part of pop culture in Adam Sandler movies, on the Big Bang Theory, and as memes.
For me, David Bowie's passing is a shock and a heartfelt sadness because Cancer has plagued the lives of my family members recently and I can't imagine him suffering these past 18 months. The indignity of the disease, as I know from watching my aunt die from it just a few months ago, makes me feel the more sorrowful because he knew the time was near.
And yet, this is what I've said so often. We die the way we lived. He released a new album and a video on his birthday just days before he passed away. He was able to say good bye to those nearest to him and those of us who admired him from afar. He was able to increase his immortality, never truly disappearing from our world with a new music and a new music video.
While I profoundly feel that the world lost a genuine legend, a bit of glitter, a whole lot of shine...we were so lucky to have lived during his time.
"Pretty soon now you're gonna get older,
Time may change me,
But I can't trace time."
"There's a starman waiting in the sky,
He'd like to come and meet us,
But he thinks he'd blow our minds,
There's a starman waiting in the sky,
He told us not to blow it,
'Cause he knows it's all worthwhile."
"Pretty soon now you're gonna get older,
Time may change me,
But I can't trace time."
"There's a starman waiting in the sky,
He'd like to come and meet us,
But he thinks he'd blow our minds,
There's a starman waiting in the sky,
He told us not to blow it,
'Cause he knows it's all worthwhile."
#DavidBowie #AdamSandler "Starman "ZiggyStardust
Never knew you were such a fan of Bowie
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