I was out of town recently and went to a Christmas concert, three brothers and a father who insisted he was not their father – but it was not like it sounds. Seemed like he felt so young there was no way he could believe he had children so old. I’m guessing at that 100% but whatever.
One of the players, everytime he sang tears fell from my eyes that I was powerless to hold back. I have been going to concerts and seeing live music for over forty years. I was so caught off guard I made it a point to meet this man after this show.
I introduced myself and said listen, I want to tell you that everytime you sang I was so moved that you brought me to tears.
He said Oh my God you have no idea how much I need to hear that. To move people like that, its everything. You have no idea what that means to me.
To move people is everything he said.
I said well that’s why I’m telling you this. I know you need to hear it. You have something really special. Really special, and I mean that.
I know you need to hear it I said.
I asked him to autograph my t-shirt I got that night at the show. It was a black t-shirt with a small Wyo horse on the left front and the band on the back. I said sign right here – pointing at the tiny horse on the front – so you’ll be always be close to my heart. He did and that was that.
We caught up on social media later but we connected way before that. He has other people to move, a career to navigate and songs to write. But I am forever changed because of his singing.
The words barely even mattered.
He sang in a way that I don’t understand and I’m not really sure how to describe yet.
The word that stays with me is honest. But that’s not it. Way more to it. Genuine, but that’s not enough.
So. Having said all that, and touched like I was and busy as he is … this is my letters to Ian. Maybe he’ll never read them. Maybe he’ll read them all. In the end, its about me processing a major life changing event and sorting out my reaction to this amazing singer’s voice so I can make sense of it for myself. Because really, I was blindsided. My heart was shut to the world. Not anymore though.
Ian broke it wide open. And the words didn’t matter.
Senteney Enterprises 