Skip to main content

Day 20: My First Concert

http://www.luthervandross.com/news/great-luther-vandross-deals-amazon-today-only
photo credit:  luthervandross.com

As today is the 20th of November, it is also Day 20 of Blogember challenge to blog each day during the month of November.

When I think back to my teenage years I recall many concerts that I attended at the amphitheater in the hometown I grew up in - SPAC (Saratoga Performing Arts Center).  As I recall the first one was likely Foreigner .. not particularly memorable.  And there were lots more in the late 70's and through the mid-80's…. The Cars, Asia, Brian Adams, Journey, Doobie Brothers, Jimmy Buffet ….

And yet today the memories rattling round my brain are of a different kind.  Today would have been a dear, old friend's 50th birthday .. he died a few years ago at age 47 due to liver failure.  He and I were married nearly 9 years, and then apart 10 years before he died.

The most memorable concerts I attended were with him.  We saw Luther Vandross together several times - big venue, small venue - each time better than the time before.  He had introduced me to Luther when I first moved in with him - by playing A House is Not a Home.

Seems looking back that life was simpler then.  Although I wouldn't have thought so at that time.  There are many reasons to remember what worked, what didn't work and why things stopped working.  I'd like to think I learned a great deal from our time together.  What I'm most proud of is that I loved with my whole heart.  And when it didn't work any more - we grew to want different things - I was able to stand up and say so.  And then I began again.

We were in touch in the last 18 months of his life.  The best gift he ever gave me was to reach out and connect with me after two big losses in his life.  I lived 900 miles away and had a family of my own - so there was no 'ask' of me.  He wanted to make peace with me.  We were able to recognize through a series of emails that we didn't hurt anymore.  We apologized to each other, and wished each other well. The last email I got from him said, 'enjoy your family…'.  And I do! Very much.  I cherish my husband and daughter - each day.

Today I'll listen to Luther and remember … the concerts, the man who was so important a lifetime ago, and the memories attached to each.  Thank you for making those memories with me.  And allowing me to move on to a new life.

It's like that was the first concert for me.  And now the rest of the tour continues ...

Comments

  1. Mary LongNovember 21, 2013 at 10:57 AM

    What a beautiful tribute to your friend and your past. Hugs!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. JudeNovember 21, 2013 at 5:16 PM

      Thanks Mary! I've enjoyed reading your stories each day .. glad to get to know you through your writing too!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Never Quit!

Sometimes that's hard.  Not to quit.  Not to give up.  On running, on eating right, on being a good friend, on keeping up with the dusting, on putting a smile on my face when I'm in tears on the inside. But somehow I manage. It may take me some time to get back on track, but I don't give up.  I sustain.  I believe my purpose is to do the best I'm able, and to take others along.  Help bring others up - show them the way, give them a smile and my other motto, 'Do a good deed." That may require that I dig deep.  Doesn't feel like that effort is within grasp.  Today is not one of those days.  Even after the Game 6 loss of the B's in the Stanley Cup Finals.  I believe I can do this ... and that's the mental battle needed to win when striving to 'never quit'. Really nice things that have happened in the last week days - - Received an incredibly thoughtful thank you card from my roommate in college - She's going through a tough tim...
2 comments
Read more

Get back to it!

We have quite a bit going on as a family these days.  We're getting ready to move our lives from Illinois to Texas in a matter of two weeks.  And these days are filled with preparation on both ends to ensure that we move in one piece and as unscathed as possible.  There are things like jobs, school, household items, cars, houses on both ends, and all the coordination it takes to make it happen.  Oh, then throw in that wonderful husband's travel schedule has imploded and he's been on the road for three weeks straight.  Not to worry - I can do hard things! And I will continue to do them. So when he was back home for the weekend I was pleasantly surprised when he suggested that we all get outside on Saturday and walk the trails of the local park.  We did four miles together.  Our daughter on her scooter a safe distance ahead of us and us enjoying the scenery and talking on and off about the move. It was wonderful.  The weather was perfect. ...
2 comments
Read more

Goal Setting and Success!

Today was a winning day for me.  I am closer to my goals than ever before.  As you may recall I set three goals for myself involving weight loss, successful professional accreditation and promotion.  I have officially lost 4.5 pounds since April 1st, and today passed another part of the designation making be exactly halfway complete! This is a huge accomplishment for me!  I've sacrificed and put the time in to set myself up to succeed.  Each step is not always forward, but I do keep moving. My husband said to me tonight after work (and finding out I passed another part).  "I really admire your determination to keep going.  I would have quit long ago.  But not you.  You didn't let it get you down." That truly means the world, not that he sees me as successfully passing, but that success has not come easily.  And I refused to be defined by it.  I am driven, determined and downright stubborn when it comes to going after ...
2 comments
Read more