It will sound a little bit funny, but for me, the symbol of hope is both Michael Jackson and my second hometown, Malkinia Gorna.
Why? We have to get back to the early ages of my life. It is the beginning of ’90 (I was born in 1985). During that time, I lived in a small, mentioned-above town. Malkinia Gorna is placed in the North-Eastern part of Masovia (Poland), approximately 12 km from my other hometown, Brok. I already wrote about this town in one of my previous posts.
The beginning of ’90 in Poland was the time when my country started to dust off the filth and stink left by the corrupted and dead communist regime. In my memories, Malkinia was a usual, sleepy, mundane, grey, nostalgic, and monstrous mass of concrete placed in the middle of the field, between forest and the river Bug. Sometimes I mention this town as a village situated in the middle of nowhere. Nevertheless, Malkinia was and still is both magical, charming, odd, and characteristic place. This town will remain in my memory forever. In general, as far as I remember, people, including me, lived in Malkinia peacefully and happily. Nevertheless, the grey, concrete block of flats in Malkinia, (this greyness we can spot on my current pictures, to this day) will remain in my memory forever.
I believe that it is a beautiful moment to say thank you to all the people with whom I was able to grow up in Malkinia.
The fact is that I spent in Malkinia in the first fifteen years of my life. I am very grateful for all my friends, colleagues with whom I spent those magical moments of my early life. It is also their influence that shaped my personality. Without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today.
Nevertheless, during that time, Michael Jackson suddenly appeared in my life. To be more precise, his two vinyl albums: “Thriller” and “Bad,” which also “exploded” in my childish imagination. My lovely parents bought these albums, and they started to turn on this music. I loved Michael’s music, and this love lasts until today. Probably it will never end.
My pure joy connected with Pop music was astonishing. I remember this excitement today. Also, I remember that I started to ask parents to turn the vinyl on and shut the door. Then, I was able to dance and jump over all the furniture in our saloon. You can imagine ~7 years old boy who dances and sings Michael’s best songs in the living room. Michael brought unprecedented quality and excitement to my life.
In my psyche, hope is symbolically connected both with Malkinia Gorna and Michael Jackson. How it’s possible?
River Bug flows through my hometown. During my childhood, I often took a walk with my Parents on this river. Thank you, Mum and Dad, for everything you have done for me. You both were and still are for me a real sheet-anchor. While being on the river, I often looked in the direction where was America, where Michael lived. I do not have to mention that this direction should be the west. When I was doing that, hope-filled my heart and imagination. I hoped that someday I would travel to the US to see Michael. Those dreams somehow came true.
The only difference is that Michael was the one who came to my country. The famous Popstar gave the single one concert in Poland, in Warsaw, in 1996. I was present during this show. I will remember the atmosphere until the end of my life. Ten years later, in 2006, I traveled to the USA. I went there as part of the “Work and travel” program for students.
It is also the proper occasion to say hello to all my family members who live in New York City. I had the luck to see them during my trip.
Nevertheless, I was already twenty-one years old. The aim of my trip was not Michael Jackson anymore. It was work, fun, traveling, and meeting my family from New York City. Once again, I would like to thank them for the warm welcome and the time we spent together.
Back to the main topic: It was a real surprise for me that after years when I reminded my childhood on the river Bug, I realized that I did not look to the west. I was gazing in the east direction, to the Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s homeland. Today it does not matter to me that I was looking in the wrong direction as a child. The most significant is the fact that both Michael Jackson’s songs and Malkinia Gorna remind me of my childhood. Adolescence, for me, is a synonym of hope. That is why when I am back in Malkinia, I feel mentally refreshed and rest, in a similar way as while listening to Michael’s songs.
