Let it Be
I didn’t get to write yesterday’s post on time due to a belated birthday celebration with the boyfriend. His actual birthday is December 2, but was canceled this year due to snow. So, here it is a little late.
Day 3 – Moment. Pick one moment during which you felt most alive this year. Describe it in vivid detail (texture, smells, voices, noises, colors).
Date: August 9, 2010
Location: Air Canada Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
Moment: Paul McCartney performing “Let it Be”
Already floating on air after 3/4 of my first live Beatle experience, I watched Sir Paul McCartney walk over to his piano on stage. Wearing a simple white button down, black pants and thin suspenders, his conservative dress showed no indication of the larger-than-life persona embodied by this legend in front of me.
“This is PAUL MCCARTNEY,” I kept thinking. “A real live BEATLE. In the flesh.“ We had been dancing and singing along for hours to amazing songs like, “Got to Get You Into My Life,” “The Long and Winding Road,” “Blackbird,” and so many more. But it still didn’t seem real.
Up to this point, McCartney and his band had put on an extremely entertaining, high-energy concert showcasing his still spot-on voice. Playing hit after hit for an appreciative and enthusiastic crowd, we couldn’t have asked for more. But as his fingers touched the piano keys and those famous first notes hit the air, something in the room changed.
When I find myself in times of trouble, mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
“Oh my GOD. This is PAUL MCCARTNEY.” It was different this time.
And in my hour of darkness she is standing right in front of me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
I started to cry.
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.
I thought about those girls on the set of the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964, and the crowd at Shea Stadium in 1965. Young women screaming at the top of their lungs, totally losing their minds in sheer excitement over their love of The Beatles. How alive did they feel? Forty-five years later, I sat in a plastic chair in the Air Canada Centre and felt connected to them.
And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be. For though they may be parted there is still a chance that they will see, there will be an answer. Let it be.
Let it be, let it be, let it be, let it be. There will be an answer. Let it be
The tears kept coming. I felt like no matter what happened in my life, no matter what heartache I might experience, listening to this song and remembering this moment would get me through it. I would be OK.
I looked over at my mom and saw that she was crying too. Then I looked around and realized lots of people had been brought to tears. This song means something to so many people. The message is simple and there is nothing fancy about the melody. It’s been played probably millions of times over four decades, but it still stirs emotion. It still has the power to make me feel alive.
And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light, that shines on me,
shine until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of music, mother Mary comes to me,
speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Filed under: #reverb10 | 1 Comment
Tags: #reverb10, alive, beatles, let it be, life, moment, music, paul mccartney
“It still has the power to make me feel alive.” <—THIS is what wonder is all about. What a great post. Thank you!