I took my daughter to a Brandi Carlile concert on Thursday.  The show was at a stadium, in Madison; there were thousands of people there. I love Brandi, but I wasn’t looking forward to a stadium concert. Giant crowds have historically freaked out this introvert. Still, my daughter has always wanted to see a big show, and for her sake, I made the sacrifice.

It ended up being one of the highlights of my year.

Listening to a musician I love in a sea of people, I felt deeply calm and hysterically excited at the same time. We sang and screamed her songs along with her in unison.  I loved feeling very small and also a part of something very enormous.

Reader, in keeping with the theme of the summer, I’m learning the power of being open. Including being open to the fact that I’ve changed.  Open is something I’ve never been, and experiencing openness for the first time is like taking my first deep breath.  Maybe ever. It took four decades of life, but I’m happy to finally be here.   

Wishing you a week of being open, and I’ll see you next Monday. -Em