Thought of the Day: How we should support GACKT-san (in spirit)
Hello everyone!
Sorry for leaving you hanging with my previous post. But now that I am relaxed, I can tell you guys my story.
So this story actually goes back to late June, when GACKT-san blogged about completing the first day of YFC at Fukuoka. After reading Ashu's translation, I was crestfallen that GACKT-san has spent another day at the hospital. When I commented that I was frustrated with him, since I established it as my life's goal to see him in person, Ashu suggested that I should send GACKT-san an e-mail telling him just that.
And as I stated in my personal post, I did just that, for his birthday message. Here is the middle chunk of the e-mail:
"GACKT-san. . .
You, and your precious fans, have inspired me so much and have given me a dream to chase. That dream is to become closer to you; in distance and in spirit. So now I am working hard to better understand your native tongue, and to prepare for the opportunity of being able to live in Japan.
So please, I beg of you: do not give up on life. I absolutely do not want to finally arrive in Japan with a bouquet of flowers, only to end up offering them to your grave.
Have you forgotten the lesson you learned, with your girlfriend crying on your cellphone after you told her you got yourself into a car accident once she broke up with you back at the hospital?
Definitely continue putting all your effort in your music and your work. That is why we love you from overseas. But please do not take your health lightly. If you find yourself going to the hospital often, then you must realize that there is something wrong, and it has to be fixed."
And I didn't get a response from him. Well, in e-mail that is. He did give me a response in IRL: he continued updating his blog during his Europe YFC tour, proudly describing how much physical strain he is put under.
Soon enough, a Facebook campaign started with the purpose of having GACKT-san settle down.
Now, I already tried to convince GACKT-san to settle down, so I didn't find a need to join the campaign. But what I did find interesting was the responses to the FB campaign on my F-list.
It was Eri's comment here that opened a whole new perspective for me, as a fan of GACKT-san. I was like, "That's it! That is the reason why he is pushing himself so hard!"
By the time Amaia updated her journal with her thoughts on the FB campaign, I understood what she was saying. So I followed her advice, and sent GACKT-san another e-mail. This is what I wrote (in its entirety):
"Dear Mr. GACKT,
I just wanted to let you know that I've done some thinking since the last e-mail that I've sent you shortly after your birthday.
In my previous e-mail, I expressed my worries of your health to you.
But now, I realize that putting your life at risk is the only way to make you feel alive.
I remembered the reason why you are so devoted to your performances: so that you may leave your fans with precious memories of the fun time everyone had.
And Mr. GACKT, let it be known that you achieve that goal after EVERY SINGLE performance of yours, with flying colors.
From now on, if I hear that you got ill after a performance, I will be happy that you have lived out your purpose in bringing smiles to your fans.
So Mr. GACKT, please do continue working hard and putting in all your best efforts in everything you do.
I will no longer worry about your health anymore.
Instead, I will be by your side, cheering you on to keep going.
With so much love from all my heart,
[bleep] 'Puri' [bleep]
Boston, U.S.A.
P.S. I heard that you are pleased with having photos in your fan e-mail. So I'll attach my photo in the e-mails that I'll send to you from now on."
And to my greatest joy in these past 18 years dubbed as 'my life', I received a reply FROM THE MAN HIMSELF in a little over 2 hours.
This is what he wrote (in its entirety)
"Thanks for your understanding.
That is me.
G "
Now his reply may be short guys, I know. But those words left me with the most glorious feeling in the entire world: the feeling that I made the one I love happy.
Amaia, if you are reading this post, I want you to know that now I wholeheartedly agree with your latest journal entry 110% to the point that I highly recommend every G fan to follow your advice!
G-fans, if you are reading this post, I want you to know that now I wholeheartedly agree with Amaia's latest journal entry 110% to the point that I highly recommend every one of you to follow her advice!
Why send an e-mail telling GACKT-san to slow down and get ignored (if it doesn't upset G 9_9;; ), when you can send him an e-mail telling GACKT-san that you have his back AND GET A REPLY?!?!?!?!
I know how one does not want to see a loved one get hurt. Even if one already knows that G is pushing himself for us fans and not just being arrogant, of course they'll feel guilty and tell him to relax. I agree that that is one logical way of supporting him in spirit, but I'm afraid that it is fruitless.
Sooner or later, one has to just realize that the best way to support GACKT-san is to cheer him on: to promise yourself that you will be beside him in everything that he does.
After all, when he is putting his life on the life on stage, he is doing it for us fans. So wouldn't we be putting his actions in vain by telling him after his performance to relax, instead of telling him that he has made our dream come true and that we look forward to seeing him again?
Even though the FB campaign is now cancelled due to the intense argument from those against it, I wanted to leave something for current and future G fans to ponder about when they have serious concerns over GACKT-san's health.
Thank you for your time and attention. Here, have a plum:
[Click on image for full effect]
Sorry for leaving you hanging with my previous post. But now that I am relaxed, I can tell you guys my story.
So this story actually goes back to late June, when GACKT-san blogged about completing the first day of YFC at Fukuoka. After reading Ashu's translation, I was crestfallen that GACKT-san has spent another day at the hospital. When I commented that I was frustrated with him, since I established it as my life's goal to see him in person, Ashu suggested that I should send GACKT-san an e-mail telling him just that.
And as I stated in my personal post, I did just that, for his birthday message. Here is the middle chunk of the e-mail:
"GACKT-san. . .
You, and your precious fans, have inspired me so much and have given me a dream to chase. That dream is to become closer to you; in distance and in spirit. So now I am working hard to better understand your native tongue, and to prepare for the opportunity of being able to live in Japan.
So please, I beg of you: do not give up on life. I absolutely do not want to finally arrive in Japan with a bouquet of flowers, only to end up offering them to your grave.
Have you forgotten the lesson you learned, with your girlfriend crying on your cellphone after you told her you got yourself into a car accident once she broke up with you back at the hospital?
Definitely continue putting all your effort in your music and your work. That is why we love you from overseas. But please do not take your health lightly. If you find yourself going to the hospital often, then you must realize that there is something wrong, and it has to be fixed."
And I didn't get a response from him. Well, in e-mail that is. He did give me a response in IRL: he continued updating his blog during his Europe YFC tour, proudly describing how much physical strain he is put under.
Soon enough, a Facebook campaign started with the purpose of having GACKT-san settle down.
Now, I already tried to convince GACKT-san to settle down, so I didn't find a need to join the campaign. But what I did find interesting was the responses to the FB campaign on my F-list.
It was Eri's comment here that opened a whole new perspective for me, as a fan of GACKT-san. I was like, "That's it! That is the reason why he is pushing himself so hard!"
By the time Amaia updated her journal with her thoughts on the FB campaign, I understood what she was saying. So I followed her advice, and sent GACKT-san another e-mail. This is what I wrote (in its entirety):
"Dear Mr. GACKT,
I just wanted to let you know that I've done some thinking since the last e-mail that I've sent you shortly after your birthday.
In my previous e-mail, I expressed my worries of your health to you.
But now, I realize that putting your life at risk is the only way to make you feel alive.
I remembered the reason why you are so devoted to your performances: so that you may leave your fans with precious memories of the fun time everyone had.
And Mr. GACKT, let it be known that you achieve that goal after EVERY SINGLE performance of yours, with flying colors.
From now on, if I hear that you got ill after a performance, I will be happy that you have lived out your purpose in bringing smiles to your fans.
So Mr. GACKT, please do continue working hard and putting in all your best efforts in everything you do.
I will no longer worry about your health anymore.
Instead, I will be by your side, cheering you on to keep going.
With so much love from all my heart,
[bleep] 'Puri' [bleep]
Boston, U.S.A.
P.S. I heard that you are pleased with having photos in your fan e-mail. So I'll attach my photo in the e-mails that I'll send to you from now on."
And to my greatest joy in these past 18 years dubbed as 'my life', I received a reply FROM THE MAN HIMSELF in a little over 2 hours.
This is what he wrote (in its entirety)
"Thanks for your understanding.
That is me.
G "
Now his reply may be short guys, I know. But those words left me with the most glorious feeling in the entire world: the feeling that I made the one I love happy.
Amaia, if you are reading this post, I want you to know that now I wholeheartedly agree with your latest journal entry 110% to the point that I highly recommend every G fan to follow your advice!
G-fans, if you are reading this post, I want you to know that now I wholeheartedly agree with Amaia's latest journal entry 110% to the point that I highly recommend every one of you to follow her advice!
Why send an e-mail telling GACKT-san to slow down and get ignored (if it doesn't upset G 9_9;; ), when you can send him an e-mail telling GACKT-san that you have his back AND GET A REPLY?!?!?!?!
I know how one does not want to see a loved one get hurt. Even if one already knows that G is pushing himself for us fans and not just being arrogant, of course they'll feel guilty and tell him to relax. I agree that that is one logical way of supporting him in spirit, but I'm afraid that it is fruitless.
Sooner or later, one has to just realize that the best way to support GACKT-san is to cheer him on: to promise yourself that you will be beside him in everything that he does.
After all, when he is putting his life on the life on stage, he is doing it for us fans. So wouldn't we be putting his actions in vain by telling him after his performance to relax, instead of telling him that he has made our dream come true and that we look forward to seeing him again?
Even though the FB campaign is now cancelled due to the intense argument from those against it, I wanted to leave something for current and future G fans to ponder about when they have serious concerns over GACKT-san's health.
Thank you for your time and attention. Here, have a plum:
[Click on image for full effect]