When you know someone…really know someone…it is nearly impossible to be completely curious and captivated by them all the time. I believe that we get to this point because we are constantly putting labels on each other. I think this is best described in families and all the roles that you play. It doesn’t take long before you hear all the labels that are constantly being put on you from others, before you believe them. Am I really not a morning person, or did I believe this because that is where I got attention when I was a teen (“don’t talk to her before noon or she’ll take your head off”)? Am I really stubborn? Is it possible to shed those labels that you and your family created for yourself? ABSOLUTELY, but it takes time to get used to a new way of thinking. I digress…I have gone on a tangent. What I am trying to talk about is a woman in my life. Someone that has such a HUGE talent that she continues to completely captivate me. I’ll give you some clues….
When her toes hit the petals it is as if she takes you right up in an air balloon and leaves you looking down on your favorite place held in your heart no matter how far away you are from it. This is one place below that I visit often in my mind when she plays. The ultimate family gathering oasis. The Lake!
When her fingers tickle the ivories, it feels like there are literally strings attached to my heart and they pull in the most delicate, caring way.
I know there is so much pain in her heart, but why and how does that pain create something so damn beautiful? Does God give all of us a beautiful talent to share with the world to use as a tool against our pain? The only way to fully describe how I truly feel when I listen to this person is to show you the sheer joy on my face as I soak her in. So many emotions come rushing back to me from this picture on this most special day. This was the day that I got to have my world’s meet each other. This was the day that my dear friend played for my family at The Lake.
If you haven’t guessed her by now, this picture should give her away;)
Two days later and I am still in AWE. I am inspired to write this post about my dear friend, Amy Seeley because she absolutely rocked mine and Jake’s world the other night. She played at Mississippi Studios the other night and I have never been more star-struck by her. I could feel her nerves from the brave face she was forcing out. I could hear the ever so slight, shaking in her voice through the first song that put butterflies in my own stomach. She was SO amazing and I don’t think it will be possible to put it into words. I remember turning to Jake at least 10 times and just smiling ear to ear as we swam in our proudness together. These are the fresh eyes that I speak of that peeled all the labels I have created to understand who she is.
If I can take a moment to describe my emotions in a homemade video (well it’s a movie in my head because as I look at the pictures below, I can remember the smells, sounds and all the amazing memories that lie within them). These are the moments that came flashing into my head as I sat in my excitement of her brilliant performance. I mean, here is my friend on the stage in front of me….I feel like I don’t even know her anymore….because to know someone so amazing doesn’t feel natural in that moment. As everyone is entrenched in her lyrics and emotions, I am fighting back the urge to yell at the top of my lungs that, “I KNOW HER!” To say that I was proud doesn’t scratch the surface. I was in a state of awe, envy, amazement, happiness, sadness and bliss all wrapped up in one huge, blanket of love!
Amy….my dear Amy Seeley. This picture is the only one that can describe how I feel about you being in my life. I feel more brave with you by my side. I love laughing with you daily. My heart aches when yours aches. When I hear your music, I am taken back to the fateful day at Jesh’s workshop, when I listened to you for the first time, blindfolded. I feel like the blindfold was back on the other night when I tried to grasp for some comfortable labels, but each note played, peeled away another label. All of the sudden I didn’t know the talent in front of me at all. I saw you my beautiful friend, with fresh eyes (warning…writing/reading these words while listening to Vienna Teng’s “Nothing without you” will make you shed tears!!!!) I yearn for our future and all that it holds. Like our wild manes blowing in the wind, away we go on this beautiful journey called life….a life that is a lot sweeter (like saccharin) with you in it:)
To all my fellow readers…please go see Amy and experience her beautiful spirit in her next concert. It is going to be the biggest one yet at the Alladin Theatre. I will be there with a glowing ora around me shining just a little bit brighter than the rest, because I am the one that is still curious about her and wanting to know more;) I love you Amy. You inspire me daily.