God Grants Miracles

For those who do not know me and might be reading this, I am a HUGE DEADHEAD. My uncle brought me to my first show almost 20 years ago (wow that's friggin' scary) and every year I have managed to get to a show, except last year.

I know for some a concert, aka a show, is not a big deal. Not something worth praying for. Not something worth bothering God and his busy schedule for. But I am a concert go-er, averaging 4 shows a year to major acts. In 20 years I have seen the likes of Bob Dylan, The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Crosby-Stills-Nash & Young, The Turtles, Duran Duran, Pearl Jam, Spin Doctors, Paul Simon, Simon & Garfunkle, Barenaked Ladies, U2, Sting, Steve Miller Band, Keane, Rusted Root, Live, Sonny Rollins, Maceo Parker, Allman Brothers, Willie Nelson, The Monkees, Patti Smyth, Madonna, and more.

I find a release at a show that I cannot experience anywhere else. The freedom to dance and sing at the top of your lungs! To share the experience with friends and family. To stand in the rain during a tornado, where the raindrops hurt at times, and you're knee deep in water and need popcorn buckets to dump the water over the edge onto the people below. To jump from one level to the floor. To meet knew people and have this one brief moment of ecstasy brought on by the music. To dance with perfect strangers as if you know intimate details about each other only because "this song is awesome!". Leaving MSG singing "How Long, How Long must we sing this song" with 30,000 others who wanted the night to continue. Tailgating in the parking lot before and after a show making friends with those surrounding you just because they are there.

At shows nothing seems to matter except the music and the bond it forms between those around you. Shows exemplify love. The love that God has been trying to teach us for the past thousand years or so. The love that is so easily marred by pain and anger. The love that can bring us together as one. This is what a show means to me. And for me my top two artists that create this love at concerts, a love that I feel encompasses everything I have mention, my top two are The Grateful Dead & U2. Ironically these were the very first 2 concerts that I ever attended 20 years ago, both at MSG within one week of each other.

Due to my return to school the finances to attend concerts has dwindled. A sacrifice that I was willing make for higher education and for the betterment of my mind and soul. I was patiently waiting for something to turn up so I could attend a Dead show - any form of the Dead - RatDog, Lesh & Friends, Mickey Hart - but the well was dry and there was no rain in the forecast. I told my friends that my birthday was coming and they could get me tickets as my present. But finances are difficult for all, plus I would imagine that some may have feared attending the show with me (as many are not DeadHeads and going to a show would be shear torture). So I sat back and tried to put it behind me.

As the stress level has built due to school, work, friends and family needs, I began to feel the need for a show. The local bands did not suffice. The energy is not the same with 100 people there to drink compared to 30,000 there for music. My husband pointed out to me this picture of Bob Weir & Jerry Garcia. A friend came over with a bootleg Dead show from the late 70's that he had just found and was like, "You have got to listen to this Jerry solo! It's so beautiful!" Well, it quickly went downhill from there. Forget the soul is strong and the flesh is weak nonsense - for me the soul was not just weak but aching, pining for a Dead show. The more I thought about how I had not been to a show since 2004, the worse the pain in my heart became.

It was becoming more and more difficult to ignore. Everyday tickets were being sold to the show. Everyday I was not one of those buying the tickets. So I posted the following bulletin on MySpace.....

I NEED A MIRACLE
Okay - some may view this as sad or pathetic, but my damn shameless hippy ass can't resist....

HINT HINT HINT
November = birthday
Friends = thoughtfulness
RAT DOG playing on date @ venue = ONE FANTASTIC BIRTHDAY GIFT

As many know, I've had to limit my concert attendance due to the financial responsibilities of school. (Damn higher education) So this is a shameless attempt to help one hippy attend one hippy show - I sadly admit it's been almost 2 years since I've been to a show. I want to go. I need to go. I have to go for my own damn sanity.

Alrighty I'm done with self-pity and presenting my sad sad case - I mean wouldn't it break any DeadHead's heart?
Love you all!

So low and behold I received a miracle. Through the wonders of MySpace I have recently gotten in contact with quite a few old friends. One of which was someone I roomed with for close to 4 years. We shared many things that girlfriends do. We became an extended part of each other's family. Myself becoming friendly with her sibling and her becoming an intimate part of my younger cousins' lives. Sadly as time often manages to do to us all, we moved out of the apartment, on with our lives, and traveled in opposite directions in turn losing touch with one another.

It's been almost a year since we've reconnected and due to our busy schedules we have still yet to get together. A brief phone conversation scattered over the past months. A few e-mails now and again. But that is all that we have been able to accomplish.

So I sent out this "I NEED A MIRACLE" bulletin. I was secretly wishing that a group of my friends would get together and buy one ticket. I wouldn't have cared if it was 50 friends chipping in $1 each. And in the long run what did I have to lose – not go to the show? I was facing that anyway.

Much to my astonishment I received a message from my old roommate. She had bought 2 tickets to see RatDog – for me! for my birthday! I could not believe – hell, I still am in shock. Since this all began with a bulletin, I sent out another….

MIRACLE GRANTED

Some say be careful what you wish for because you may be surprised by what you receive.

I wished for a miracle ticket.
I received a miracle ticket.
I received a reminder of a dear friend.
I received regret for lost time.
I received thankfulness for time having no meaning in friendship.
I received a blessing in my friend!
So for everyone reading this -
THANK YOU!
YOU ARE AMAZING!
I am GRATEFUL to have you in my life again!
Loveya Always

So here I sit with one more old friend who is once again proving how wonderful she is. You see it’s not that she spent the money. It’s not that she is trying to buy my friendship. She is only doing what a friend would do, if they could. (for those of you reading this that were unable to I still love you)

You see God has granted miracles today. The miracle of tickets to a Dead show for DeadHead. The miracle of friendship. More importantly – the miracle of love. You see it is love that draws me to these shows. It is love that allows a friendship to grow and blossom year after year. It is love that allows us to help others achieve their dreams. It is love that keeps us Truckin’ On!

Words cannot express how grateful I am. Thank you my Miracle friend!