The Dance

Last night, I fulfilled one of my bucket list items: seeing Garth Brooks in concert. And it was beyond what I’d heard and hoped it would be. This guy puts on a fantastic show and I was thrilled to be able to finally see him live, with a couple of my best girls. I’ve seen several artists perform live, but Garth has something special and unique that you don’t always see.

Sure, you know most musicians and artists do what they do, because they love playing music. This seems obvious. But when Garth Brooks plays, it’s on a different level. I guess the only way I can describe it is to say he exudes true joy when he performs. So much so, that you can feel it yourself in the audience. He seems to be completely in the moment when he performs, taking in all of the energy the audience in turn is feeding him. What a beautiful thing to watch.

And then last night, this happened. While Garth performed The Dance, the giant video screens showed a woman in the audience holding up a sign that read:

Chemo this morning, Garth Tonight. Enjoying The Dance.

The crowd began to roar, pointing to the screen. Garth looked up behind him and noticed the sign. What happened next was moving and inspirational. I feel so blessed to have been there to watch God’s hand in person. Watch for yourself, but grab a tissue first.

Compassion. Faith. Hope. Love. Courage. People loving people.

This is what it’s all about, isn’t it?

I’m not sure I can adequately express just how moving it was to witness this in person. The emotion of the 18,000 people present was palpable. In the shadows, you could see them gently wiping tears from their eyes. We stood, watching in awe. Gathering strength to be the wind behind this woman’s back as she fights the battle of her life. I hope she felt the strength we were all sending her last night. And I hope she realizes what a gift she gave us in return.

The human spirit is a beautiful thing.