She was more than an entertainer, Hollywood icon, singer, actress, or dancer. Judy Garland is the performance of how to. . .dream! What she taught Hollywood, her audience, and the world, is that dreams are invisible hopes, that we seek in a reality. Her quotes, songs, performances, characters, and interactions with her audience were reflections of what we all wished to do. Dream our problems away. Not for simple illusions or being removed from the real. On the contrary. For in her songs were the clues and tools, in how we are able to use our dreams in solving reality’s problems. Even if it is for a moment. Through our dreams, we could find solutions. And, because our dreams were birthed in our mind, they are brought into our real worlds.
Though Garland began as a child star, ? she still had to grow up, some day. That little girl inside, that hurt, little girl inside, was still there. And, during her most intimate, and vulnerable, performances, Judy Garland was not afraid to reveal her. Many would criticize her for her “unprofessionalism,” or those times, when she illuminated her pains, onstage. Raw and visible to the public eye. Even when she did not look her best because the pain, and internal brokenness, had gotten the best of her, Judy, still revealed herself. That, my Darlings, is artistry. That is the nature of a true artist. Yes. Judy could entertain. And entertain, she did. But, we should never forget that the most visible of her art, often came from her pain.
Let us ever be reminded, that her entertainment painted, dreams. But, the natural genius of Judy Garland is she was never afraid to teach us that pain comes when an individual is removed from dreams. If a person is blocked in bringing solutions of dreams to their own reality, great sadness is to be experienced. That was the realness of Judy Garland. Through her artistry, she performed dreams, and showed us her real life, simultaneously. She used her own existence to perform magical realism, before the term, came to existence. Her troubles were traumatic realities, that her dreams could not sing away. Maybe much of her agony arose in her realization of this fragmentation. Hoping in vain that there would be solutions to her reality, through dreams, which brought joy. Perhaps the stage was the only avenue, where she could experience, and escape, this conflict. This imitation of fiction, as Garland could sing of her pain, while enjoying her rainbows. Miraculous, don’t ya’ think?
One of the most powerful things about Judy Garland is how she performed in replicas of dreams. The way she illuminated them, onstage. It was so natural, you would have thought she had just left a world of dreams. Briefly coming to Earth, in order to narrate what she had, seen. Eager to reveal the world, abundant treasures, past many rainbows. If one were to venture into their own imagination, a person could discover just how free the world of fantasy could be. Then, of course, there was her reality. And, Judy Garland had to come back down to Earth, to deal with the present. No matter how unpleasant it was. No matter how far it contrasted to fantasy; all because she just couldn’t quite get her realities, over into the rainbows. ?
For Judy Garland to bring her realness on stage, is what made her magical. Its what made her performances, mysterious. Not the other way around. Pretty ironic, isn’t? You would think its the fancy costumes, dancers, lights, and props, which gives performances, that, spark! No. Those are simply additions. What brings the glitter and glam’ is the natural energies of the performance. Fakery doesn’t do it. Pretending that one is happy, when they feel like dying, inside, won’t make that glamour happen. On the contrary, its when that individual brings their own magic. And, no person acquires such magic, without going through some, pain. If not, a lot of pain. Its the pain, which makes performance, magical. Reality’s shortcoming, and disparities, is where the real magic, is found. A person has to dig their way, jump their way, and cultivate many fruits to find it. Locating magic requires patience and skill. And, its not for those, who wish to gain quick access to its power, for selfish and exploitative gain.
Judy was that girl! A non-traditional beauty, who forced her audience to go deeper. Forget the facade. Remove the mask. If a person wants to bare their Soul, what would it reveal? How many scars would a person see? And, how could a person heal these scars by diving into dreams? For dreams bring solutions, even temporary joys. And, with practice, consistency, and patience, they can marry (and be present) into our realities. This is Judy Garland’s living legacy.
So, Darlings, when you enter into your dreams, what magic do you see? How close are you to seeing your happy place? Does it create a safe space from reality’s woes? Does it bring you closer to a restful home? Dream as you may. Hope during the night. And one day, as Judy, you’ll see rainbows, ? in the light!
Lay in Heaven’s gardens, Judy. You’ll see many rainbows, up there!
