*If you've wondered where I've been this past summer with my lack of writing, I've been saving up for this one. Grab a cup of coffee . . . it's a long one!
It all started in 1990 when a 12 year old girl heard a fun song called "Friends in Low Places" with her cousins Sarah and Amber. It soon became everyone's favorite song (although now she wonders why her parents were so comfortable with their pre-teen singing along--loudly--to a song about whiskey and beer). :) A year later, an album called "Ropin' the Wind" would be released, and that one would include one of this girl's favorite inspirational songs ever--"The River." A couple of years later, she would be watching this singer on TV performing in a packed Texas Stadium in a concert unlike anyone had even seen before--there was rain, there was fire and there was NO OTHER PERFORMER like Garth Brooks. It was then a dream was planted to see him in concert some day. Her aunt saw him in concert and gave her a sweatshirt with "SHAMELESS" emblazoned across the back. She wore it to Eureka Junior High as often as possible with pride. There would be more albums, all of them favorites and still purchased on cassette tape, with songs memorized from beginning to end. There would be more concerts on TV and a poster on her wall with GARTH BROOKS in cut out letters above it. Somewhere around that time, she had another crazy dream--she needed to hug that guy someday.
(OK, this third-person stuff is getting old--let's just end the suspense--the girl was ME.) :)
In the summer of 1997, I was preparing to leave for college and in the midst of that upheaval in my life, it was announced that none other than Garth Brooks would be coming to Sioux Falls. Getting tickets proved impossible. There was no way I would be standing in line at the Sioux Falls Arena and I guess I was too much of a good student to skip class to call in when they went on sale. (I've learned a few things in the past 20 years--now I would have!) There would be more shows in Bismarck, but again 8 shows sold out with no luck for me. I was absolutely heartbroken. However, my friend Amy had a very special early birthday present for me that year and she delivered it to me in a note at the NSU Bookstore where I worked--a golden ticket to our first GARTH show. We had floor seats and not very far back. It. Was. AWESOME.
The next year, I would reserve his boxed set and get ALL of his previous albums on CD. That was a big step up! :)
Amy would bless me and a group of our friends with tickets once again a year later when Garth came to Fargo. Trisha Yearwood would surprise us with a performance at that show.
In 1999, Garth would try out rock on his album as fictional rock star Chris Gaines. It was supposed to be a soundtrack for a future movie, which never happened. It was confusing to some of us fans, but I stayed faithful. :)
Shortly after, in 2001, Garth announced his retirement to raise his daughters. In the following years, although I still loved his music, I thought I pretty much left this childhood passion behind as I graduated college, got married, acted like an adult and pretty much only listened to "Silly Songs with Elmo." My kids would eventually grow up a bit, discover my old cassette tapes and, much to my approval, would begin to love Garth's music, too. Landen noticed when he heard Garth on the radio that it was pretty cool that the radio stations still played music from "way back when!" When Garth released his "Ultimate Hits" in 2007 and my oral interp students at school started playing it over school speakers, I once again remembered the best songs of my growing up years. The fire I had suppressed was rekindled.
Fast forward to 2014 when I saw the most shocking announcement on Facebook one day. Garth was performing in Minneapolis that November. I had learned more ticket strategy by that time and was at my computer at the stroke of 10am to get the coveted tickets. As it turned out, they were in the far left corner of the Target Center, but, WOW, was it amazing to hear him and sing and dance with him again. Remember that from my blog? My sister-in-law and brother-in-law joined us and it was so much fun!
This past summer, much the same thing happened when I was checking my email one morning at 8am. Garth had announced he was coming to Sioux Falls. The day tickets were to go on sale, my girls had a make-up swimming test. My friend Deb was so sweet to take them to the pool and her mom was equally sweet to let me use her house and Wi-Fi so I could be ready to go with my devices right at 10am on July 21. It ended up being a bit of a fiasco as, although a second show was announced just minutes before 10am, I didn't know that several more had been as well. I thought the 2 tickets I got 20 minutes later were for the same show as the first one. It wasn't until that afternoon that I realized I had 4 tickets to the 9/17 show and 2 to the 9/22 show. The 9/22 show were non-transferrable and--wow--bucket list tickets for sure. Thanks to the understanding and generosity of all involved, we were able to go to both shows--taking our boys to the Sunday night concert, and David and I going to the Friday night. Sunday night was a calmer concert for me as I snuggled up to David and took it all in. I remained seated out of respect for our section behind me (except for "Friends in Low Places!") My boys thought I was loud enough, but I couldn't wait to come back! :)
Now, I don't want to make this any more dramatic than it really is, but I probably already have, so what the heck!
At the previous concerts I had been to in other cities, Garth had always done a long encore, but never interacted with the audience. At this one, he came back out, read people's signs, and played the songs requested on them. A lightbulb went on in my mom brain. Hey--I could do that! And I could ask for that dream I've had since I was 12 years old in 1991--a hug from Garth. I mulled it around for awhile, and last week after buying some flourescent yellow poster board and glitter glue (I had to show some effort!), I made my poster, which really was totally out of character for me to draw attention to myself at a public venue. I've never done anything like that before for any concert. David agreed to help me, too. :)
As I was making the posters, I realized something. Sure, the hug was going to be a long shot, but no matter what, GARTH BROOKS would SEE ME. It was a fun few days of anticipation. I literally felt like a teenager again . . . you know how sometimes bad things happen and your brain just can't comprehend it? Well, this was the total opposite of that. Something GREAT was going to happen, no matter how small it was, and my brain just couldn't comprehend how it could be happening to Laura Melius. Laura Melius doesn't get those seats. Garth Brooks doesn't make eye contact with Laura Melius. As we drove down on Friday, David just laughed at how nervous and excited I was. I could barely eat and I didn't fully relax until I was sitting in my seat one hour before show time. And, actually not even then, as a couple sat down beside us and the man jokingly said that I was in their seats. I looked at him like a literal deer in the headlights and stammered that 13 and 14 were my seats and I was sure of it. (I had checked those numbers so many times in the past two months just to make sure!) He laughed, his wife laughed, and told him that he couldn't joke about such things. (We ended up visiting with them all night and I later apologized after for my lack of a sense of humor!) :)
Finally, after the two openers (American Idol alum Scotty McCreery was a fun surprise that night), and a long wait, Garth appeared in a flash of light. It was in the very first song he made a stop at our side of the stage, saw my poster and gave me an "air hug" as I reached out toward him. It was a few seconds. That's all. But that gesture answered a dream--closely enough--that I had had for 26 years. If you know me, I'm pretty even keel in life. But if you want to see me crazy, watch me at a Garth concert. It is AMAZING. The songs flew by and soon it was time for Trisha Yearwood's appearance mid show. As part of her act, she sings her song "She's in Love With the Boy" and a Kiss Cam shows couples from the crowd. The first couple shown was our neighbors who live two miles from us. As we were commenting on that and watching some more, I saw David and me on the screen! I screamed, "That's US!" and gave my husband probably the biggest kiss of his life. It was so awesome. More songs flew by until I could barely talk anymore from singing and screaming for three hours.
As I left that show, for the first time in the five shows I'd experienced, I left not only feeling excited, but like a dream had been fulfilled. It's silly, I know. I took a step outside my comfort zone and Garth saw and acknowledged me. That was enough for my heart.
Now, I know people may judge me for putting too much emphasis on a person. I admit that in my earlier years, I probably had my priorities a bit mixed up.
Now, I can say they are "Faith, Family, Friends, and Garth," although my husband may question that after this past week. :) I know he is just a person, but he is a genius in how he has run his music business these past decades, and I find it fascinating. I just heard an older interview where he said when you remove the line from the audience and the performer, that's when the fun starts. When Garth comes on stage, no matter where I have been in an arena, that's exactly what happens. He's just another guy with a guitar and everyone feels like he's their best friend who shares all these memories of his songs. For many of us in the crowd, these songs have been the soundtrack of our lives.
*Transition back to "real life:"* You may or may not know this about me, but I have struggled with Generalized Anxiety Disorder at different periods in my life. I never really know when it's going to hit, but when it does, it can last awhile and was a real struggle for me this past spring and summer. For those of us with GAD, on the bad days, there is an anxious feeling that something awful is about to happen. Even though it doesn't, our anxious brains want to keep us on alert, and this pervading sense of worry can be exhausting. On the better days, the feeling is less, but still there. When going through a time of GAD, I never know what kind of day it's going to be, but I have to keep on keeping on no matter what. My husband and family are completely supportive of me and in no way do I go through it alone, but it can been quite the tiring struggle.
These little answered prayers from these past months and week have been reminders that although the anxiety is a part of who I am, I don't have to be a victim to it. I can still have fun dreams. I can still believe that good things can and will happen to me--wonderful desires of my heart that if anyone would have told me would happen even a couple of months ago, I never would have believed.
Good things can and will happen to all of us, no matter how big or small the dreams we have held onto.
It may take 26--or more--years, but "have a little faith and hold out."
"There's bound to be rough waters, and I know I'll take some falls, but with the Good Lord as my captain, I can make it through them all."
Thank you to my husband for supporting me in everything, and especially when I get a little "Garth-Crazy" at concert time.
Thank you, Garth, for just a moment of your time during a song. It meant the world to this girl.
