Flexibility

Flexibility. Change of plans. Spontaneous. Call it what you will, I struggle with all of them. I have a calendar, a planner, a list and I really strive to stick with it. Even if nothing is on my agenda for the day, I can't suddenly meet you for brunch with an hours notice. I'm not likely to travel downtown for drinks when you call me at 6:00pm on a Saturday night. I'm just like that. If I have nothing planned, then that's what I want to do: nothing.

It's a little selfish, and alot that I'm just not wired like that. This is why I don't do well with the whole, "let's just jump in a car and see where the road takes us" idea. Roadtrips: no destination in mind, no agenda, just the open road and a full tank of gas. As God would have it, this is how my husband loves to travel.

But, yesterday, as I was walking out the door at work, raincoat on, purse weighing heavily on my shoulder, I get the news that a friend was looking for someone to go to the Sting concert at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The show would begin in three hours. And I was headed to an hour long appointment downtown and Harlem is uptown... BUT--- I stepped beyond myself and said, "Yes! I will meet you there."

So, what could have been a whirlwind of frustration and a logistical nightmare, turned into an amazing evening. After acupuncture I had an early snack-ish sort of dinner at Whole Foods: Energy Salad, Detox Salad- think sprouted things and raw veggies, baked tofu and eggplant. Then I leisurely made my to the Sting concert. Therapeutic indeed.

I love live music, but this was a deeply rewarding experience. Mostly because my dear friend was a backup singer for Sting during a previous tour, so she was able to give me the inside scoop on who's who and what's what. She is an amazing singer/ song writer and plays piano regularly at the church I attend. Her husband is also a musician and producer... she amazes me.

It is apparent how passionate Sting is about his music; about telling a story through song. His lyrics are provocative. His body language says that he believes in the gospel he's preaching. Watching him perform in-front of an entire orchestra left me full of life. The stage was an ocean of reeds bobbling up and down, four percussionists pounding, and the conductor was just as phenomenal to watch as Sting himself. She was just plain sexy- swaying and reaching, her hair flying to and fro, her bare shoulders reaching out and up. I simply love watching artists do what they do.

When you are passionate about what you do, it shows. When are doing what you were put on this earth to do, you are happier. It's just music. But, it's music. This night will make me feel more alive than possibly anything else I've experienced all week, and that makes it worth it.