Freddie Mercury
Lover of Life, Singer of Songs
It is difficult for me to put into words how much I love and appreciate Freddie Mercury. He was a man spurred by an almost uncontrollable ambition to achieve his deepest dreams and aspirations. As a young man, he once exclaimed “I’m not going to be a star, I’m going to be a legend.” It was through sheer, relentless determination and a genuine passion for music that he rose to fame as the lead singer in the British rock quartet known as Queen. On the surface, I love this man for his eclectic music and his magnificent performances. But there is so much more to this man than just his music.
Mercury was very quick to shoot down any assumptions made that fame and fortune gives people absolute happiness. “Success has brought me millions of pounds, and worldwide adulation,” he said, “but not the thing we all need – a loving relationship. You can be loved by so many thousands of people, yet still be the most loneliest person.” For him money was not endearing. He would often participate in charity events, such as Save the Children and Live Aid, and spend his money on close friends and family. In fact, he was known for anonymously sending money to people who were going through particularly hard times. He attained happiness through giving and sharing. “If I can do anything in my little ways, I do it,” he said. “In terms of money, I have enough. I’m not afraid of giving it to other people, as long as it gets to the right places.”
Above all, Freddie Mercury was a lover of life. He firmly believed in living life to the fullest and not allowing others to intrude on his own happiness. He lived a very full life. He enjoyed traveling to foreign countries, cultivating his own garden, spending quality time with his family, performing for his hundreds of thousands of fans, and he threw some of the most outrageous parties in rock and roll. Granted, he was careless in some respects and his eccentricities brought about the illness that ultimately killed him. In the spring of 1987, he was tested positive for HIV/AIDS. However, the illness only gave him more incentive to continue living his life. Until his death on November 24, 1991, he continued to record music with Queen and kept his illness a secret so as not to burden his family and friends. He was incredibly brave and courageous in the face of his own death.
I hold this man very near and dear to my heart. He was one of the first people to teach me the true meaning of generosity. He inspires me to take charge of my dreams and aspirations and to always believe in myself even when others might tell me otherwise. I never met Freddie Mercury, but he has had a profound influence on my life in addition to the many other lives he has touched.
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I wrote this for a college course called "Happiness." We had to write a short essay on somebody we feel passionate about and their happiness. Let me know what you think. Thanks!
I admire Freddie for lots of reasons, not only his fabulous stage presence but his song writing and his all round personality and his bravery and spirit in continuing to work until he could work no more when most people would of probably have just given up
Freddie may be gone but we still have his music and legacy to go on and he will never be forgotten