Blessed to spend a hot, July 2020 summer night, under the stars, somewhere near Charlottesville, VA, at the drive-in concert of Michael W. Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman and Mac Powell.
The evening was a little strange with social distancing and rules in place, but it was also amazing to experience that moment in person after months of quarantine, with a beloved high school friend I haven’t seen in 20 years.
The stunning perfection of Mac Powell’s live vocals. His humility on stage, honoring God, the creator of his talent; inspiring.
Link to Mac Powell’s live performance of “Waymaker” , July 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfPIA32G_eY&feature=youtu.be
Steven Curtis Chapman’s “Cinderella,” a song once written for his two youngest daughters who wouldn’t go to bed one night, but now performed in memory of one of those beautiful little girls; taken from this life in an instant at age 5, just twelve years ago. The courage he demonstrated in openly sharing about that heartache, before singing the song live; acknowledging the ongoing grief and pain of the loss, while embracing his faith in the same breath touched my heart.
Official music video of “Cinderella.”
“https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrWMBC6yoME
Link to Steven Curtis Chapman’s live performance of “I Will Be Here” in July, 2020. This one touches my heart too.
Michael W. Smith’s “Friends” was a theme song in my early 20’s, as my closest friends (to this very day) and I graduated from high school and college and went our separate ways. We were just like all but three of Charlotte’s little “children” at the end of Charlotte’s Web, jumping off the fence at Zuckerman’s farm and into our lives. Good-bye! Good-bye!
“Friends,” “Place in this World,” and so many of the other songs performed throughout this evening, took me back in an instant to some of the most beautiful of my memories; the authentic and real relationships and friendships. I can count these true friendships on one hand. We can go months or years without speaking and pick up right where we left off, without a hint of anything other than pure joy to be in touch again through the victories, and the celebrations; the sadness and the tragedies we have all been through since the days of our youth. And between us, we’ve been through it all.
When you have trusted, incredible and lifelong friendships, well, you have everything.
Link to Michael W. Smith performing “Friends,” live, July 20, 2020.
Link to Michael W. Smith performing “Place in this World,” live July 20, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkJrBYYTlyk&feature=youtu.be
Here’s to the real, authentic friendships in life.
Worth pursuing, young people.
“It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.” – E.B. White
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