Spread those angel wings, Farrah

Sadness swept me twice on Thursday. First, when I heard of Farrah Fawcett's passing after a brutal battle with cancer.

Second, when the news of her passing was tossed aside like garbage to make room for news of Michael Jackson's sudden death.

You would think the world had ended. Well, it almost did because the Internet was reportedly maxed out from the surge of news seekers and messages of shock.

If only the world would convert a fraction of its energy and money mourning Jackson's death into REAL action and compassion in helping REAL individuals and families cope with REAL catastrophic life events. The money that will be expended on Michael this and that would put a huge dent into funding research into fighting the cancer that killed Farrah and people you actually know.

The money that will be spent on magazines and other media about Michael's life and death would give thousands of families the respite they desperately need in coping with everyday caregiving, the REAL stuff that doesn't make the entertainment news because it's not sexy enough.

And the TIME, the precious moments of life that will be lost in over-consumption of news about Jackson's odd life could be converted into volunteerism to teach children to read, cheer the lives of shut-ins, or simply offer some kind deeds to help many people survive another day.

Our nation's obsession with celebrities is getting ridiculous. If the people who follow that show about the couple with a half-dozen kids or whatever applied the same amount of time to their own families as they do on watching and talking about that over-hyped garbage, imagine the possibilities.

To the people who will spend the coming days wailing about Jackson's demise … get a life, get your own life. To the children who think their lives are over because the King of Pop is dead … get some new REAL role models.

Farrah wasn't perfect. She had more than her share of "blonde moments." Her child is in jail. One of history's most famous sex symbols had to face the embarrassment of the world finding out she had anal cancer, but look how strong it made her. She never gave up and shared her story to encourage other patients to fight that damn disease with every ounce of energy they can muster because we are stronger than we will ever give ourselves credit for.

She earned those angel wings the hard way, the brave way, the human way.

I'm not heartless about Michael Jackson, who was born the same year I was. I hope he finds the peace he never found on this earth. I'm glad that he's not being subjected to one more person taking advantage of him and making money off him. He's left all that far behind.

It's time we as a society do the same and put our energy, time and money into a REAL life, our loved ones' lives, OUR life. You may not make the 24-hour news channel, and that could be the best news of all.