I did what I did, I have no regrets

I should probably wait to write this when I have a laptop in my hand. Instead, I’m sitting on a park bench, freezing, a few states away from home, writing this in a note in my phone.

I don’t know how to describe the past 48 hours of my life. Right now, I don’t have the words for it.

I am going to try my best to spew some words out here to describe the experience I just had.

My words will not do it any justice, but I’m going to give it my all. 

—

In a museum in Washington D.C., I made a mistake. I pulled out my phone, looked at my camera roll, and I started to cry. 

I do a lot of things alone in life, but last night, I was not alone. 

A stranger adopted me into her friend group, with open arms and drinks flowing, and I kind of invited myself to her wedding.

She and her fiancé agreed to my inviting myself to their wedding. Whether they remember it or not, I’m not really sure.

And I’ll go. No doubt, I will be there to cheer them on and to be their biggest fan.

Last night, we put our arms around each other. We held each other up, sometimes literally, and we danced badly (on my part, anyway) and sang and drank our life’s problems away.

Last night, life didn’t have any issues. There was no stress or obligations or other serious stuff going on.

There were amazing quotes, amazing hugs, amazing moments and amazing people.

Best quote of the night: “I sing like I think I’m Joanna Cotten.” 

Me: “Don’t we all?”

Another good one: “My feet got dehydrated, so I gave them a drink.”

I’m not sure what that means, but it’s hilarious and I’ll remember it forever. 

And please don’t ever tell me that a pair of cute shoes can’t change a girl’s life, because they totally can. 

—

On Friday, I waited in line for a while at the concert. Everyone was nice and friendly, and a lot of them talked to me the second night. 

But the first night, I didn’t click with anyone around me. In line, for hours, I knew that while the people around me were amazing, I was not going to keep in touch with any of them.

Everyone had someone, and I was really just the alone, awkward introvert who is too introverted to connect with strangers on something more than a superficial level.

I was kind of bummed about it.

Because of reasons, getting inside of the venue was a cluster…as it usually is. People around me were upset, yelling, cussing.

I really didn’t give a shit.

I got a spot up close, kind of. Technically front row, but the technicality was that it was so far off to the side, I spent the majority of the night cranking my neck and looking backward, trying to see something other than the back of someone’s head.

There was a cute family beside me with three small kids, so I offered them my spot, and they gladly accepted.

At this point, the view is not going to get any better. Might as well let the cute kids be closer than me.

A few minutes later, the girl beside me told me she liked my shoes.

I was wearing a pair of glittery gold shoes. I’m girly like that.

I said thanks, and then I stuck my foot out to her friend group to show off my shoes.

And with that, with a cute glittery foot out, a friendship formed.

Friday was fun. The girl beside me and I talked throughout the concert, about relationships, being cheated on, and other tough life things.

We decided at the end of the concert that all of the heartbreak was worth it, because it led to this magical moment in a magical room with a magical man on stage entertaining us.

Also, the girl beside me invited me to hang out her friend group at Saturday night’s show.

I thought, hell yes. Don’t tempt me with a good time,  because I will take you up on that offer immediately.

—

The next night, I met them for drinks at a bar across the street from the concert. While tons of people were in line, and probably fighting and cussing at each other to get a good spot by the stage, we stayed at the bar.

I think life is about these moments. We shared stories about our past and I laughed and laughed and laughed. 

When we finally did go to the concert, after drinking in the rain, we decided on a spot in the very back, on the second floor balcony.

We couldn’t see shit, except each other. For the majority of the show, all we did was face each other, sing and dance badly and drink and laugh and hug.

It was the best day ever.

—

I thanked my newfound friends for the night and for the laughter more than once.

I told them that they had no idea how much it meant to me. 

I think we all agreed that this friendship needs to be long lasting, and I remember saying, and hearing, several times that we need to all remember this moment.

No matter what happens in our lives, I want to remember them and I want them to remember me.

Life is not always pretty, but dammit, there are times when it’s downright beautiful. 

—

And that’s that. Somehow a conversation about glittery shoes sparked a friendship.

—

I try to respect people’s privacy on thishereblog, and I do my best to not use my words nefariously. (Well, except if you date me and then cheat on me. Then it’s game on.)

I will spill one secret from my newfound friend group: one of them has an Eric Church Christmas tree.

That’s so brilliant, I can’t even explain how brilliant it is. I did not ask my new friend what her tree topper looks like, but if it’s not a pair of sunglasses, I’m going to be really disappointed.

I love you all. Thank you for both nights, and especially Saturday night. 

I can’t explain how much that means to me. You will never know how much that means to me.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart. 

I love you. 

❤️ 

(One caveat: When you ask Eric Church's fan club members, better known as the Church Choir, what their favorite venue and concert is, a lot of them say The Anthem. It's a tiny little place in Washington D.C. that holds about 6,000 people. I've seen him in concert with more than 50,000 people. When I ask these fans why The Anthem is so special, they just tell me to go sometime if I'm able. Seven years after I became a fan, I was finally able. The concerts this post describes were at The Anthem.)