And yet 4 nights ago, that was precisely what I did.
For some reason, I've had a strong desire to attend a concert for over a year. This summer, my friends and I decided to make it a reality. I researched all the concerts within 2 hours of our house, compared prices, and looked up the opening bands. We decided on American Authors, The Script, and OneRepublic.
Whew. Great decision, guys.
Experiences which are somewhat outside of our comfort zones are oftentimes the best ones.
We arrived early and tailgated catholic-style: with tuna sandwiches on a Friday. (We later realized that it was a feast day, so we could've had meat, but the Almond tea made up for that.)
We then scoped out lawn seats.
Lawn seats mean that it's a free-for-all. Good luck battling the crowds, friends. But we were awesome seat-finders. We nailed 2nd row of the lawn spots on the grass, right in the middle. Boom.
And then followed an amazing 4 hours of pure talent.
If you don't know me, you're going to think I'm just crazy, or fangirling, or something dumb. But I assure you I am not. These three bands were some of most talented groups of people I have ever been blessed enough to witness.
You know, it's so interesting seeing groups like these in a live setting. I can listen to their recordings all I want, but nothing beats the stories, the little comments, the extra instrumental songs thrown in. (Bonus for learning that my favorite song on the album was the lead singer's favorite song too.)
There's something about finding joy in something, and there's something else about finding joy with something along with thousands of your closest friends. (Here you may picture an eye-roll, but only regarding the second half of that sentence, and mostly jokingly.) Of being happy with them. Of singing along with them. Being awed by fantastic talent with them.
Perhaps I make too much of a simple evening with friends, but I think that it is once we look beyond the everyday feelings we have toward something that we begin to experience the transcendent.
And although these were by no means Christian groups in name, I have this funny feeling they'd understand what I mean.