Revelations From A Rock Concert (Or, What P!nk Has Done For Me)

I am a long-time fan of P!nk’s music. My wife and kids say I’m obsessed with her (I’m okay with that). Her lyrics are brassy and honest, not sappy or insignificant like most pop music, and her music is, well, catchy. That’s why I splurged and bought six pretty expensive tickets to see her live last December when her tour came to New Jersey. And it was money well spent because her concert was inspirational.

P!nk’s live performances are filled with sheer, utter joy. It is clear she loves what she is doing and she is in her element. Best of all, she has not forgotten where she came from nor the fans that put her at the top of the record-selling charts. More than once during the concert, P!nk expressed a sincere appreciation to her fans, noting that she knew how much we paid for tickets, how we also had to pay for parking, and remarking how she saw – and felt bad about – the lines outside waiting in the cold to get into the arena.

During the concert, P!nk frequently stopped to take "selfies" with fans or sign countless autographs. In one particularly sweet moment, she saw a little boy holding a sign announcing his mother’s birthday so she brought the boy onstage to sing "Happy Birthday" with her.

P!nk’s desire to connect with the audience was no more evident than in her circus-like theatrical spectacle in which she donned a harness rigged to an overhead structure and flew, a'la Peter Pan, to every corner of the arena, giving everyone an up-close-and-personal experience and even soaring close enough to give high-fives!

From a purely theatrical perspective, the P!nk concert was like nothing I’ve ever seen before. But it was so much more than theatrics. For me, it was two hours of real, honest, joy and selfless giving, all in an attempt to give back to the fans.

So what does this rock concert review have to do with NAFA?

My experience at the P!nk concert made me think about how I approach my work and my life. I asked myself if I approach my chosen field of work with the same level of love, dedication, and inspiration that P!nk had at her performance. I questioned if I thank everyone who has helped me in my life. I asked if I inspire others by being the best I can be, giving my all, and serving others selflessly. I wondered if I noticed all the "little things" that everyone around me does.

Some of my answers were affirmative, while others indicated room for improvement. Luckily, P!nk has a song to inspire me to never give up, as she sings in "Try"

Where there is desire, there is gonna be a flame
Where there is a flame, someone's bound to get burned
But just because it burns, doesn't mean you're gonna die
You've gotta get up and try, and try, and try

I think I’ll put my headphones on now and find some inspiration!

Where do you find your inspiration? You might want to go to a rock concert!

Sincerely yours,

Phil

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