Saturday night, Tina and I went to the Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw concert at Gillette. I’d been looking forward to this since buying the tickets in, I think, February. I remember thanking God when I got my chemo schedule because the concert was almost two weeks after my fourth chemo round and I figured I’d be able to drag myself there even if I still wasn’t feeling well. And luckily I was already back to feeling just fine!
When we got to the stadium, Tina surprised me with a letter. Not just ANY letter, but one that she wrote using Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw song titles. And I’m not just sharing it because it is so cool (although it is), but because I think it gives a glimpse into how this damn cancer thing has impacted some of my dearest friends…
My Old Friend,
Hey Now, as I sit here looking at a Blank Sheet Of Paper, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to talk about Me And You. This concert is seriously happening Not A Moment Too Soon! Unfortunately, My Little Girls are not nearly as excited about this concert, since they’re not going, but I just can’t wait for you to Come Over!!!
The past few months I feel like I’ve been Living In Fast Forward and have been feeling kinda Angry All The Time. Last week, I was actually thinking, well, There Goes My Life. The silver-lining (as usual) is heading Somewhere With You. I love Summertime and our concerts. Life seems to, once again, be The Road And The Radio and it appears that every Flip Flop Summer, You Save Me.
I know the past five months Got A Little Crazy (to say the least) and has seriously been a Wild Ride. I feel confidant telling you that I truly feel like I know How Forever Feels, but yet, Time Flies. Your breast cancer diagnosis really did Scare Me and I hope to Never Feel That Way Again. I am glad that you Give It To Me Strait as I Wouldn’t Want It Any Other Way, but everyone knows that you’re Only Human and that you are clearly doing Whatever It Takes to tell that horrid cancer that you Will Not Fall Down. I have my Suspicions, although, I can’t imagine how difficult the moments are when you’re alone and you allow yourself to be honest with you. I know there’s so much you don’t allow others to see. To be honest, there have been moments where I know I Don’t Blink as I have felt helpless in helping you… but… then you speak, and I am completely reassured that you are Always Gonna Be You, cancer or no cancer, You Just Get Better All The Time! I can’t wait for the end of this whole run of doctors and treatments to be over for you… and to celebrate your attitude, your being The One to beat cancer (which is No Small Miracle) and to shout out at the top of our lungs Touchdown Jesus!!!!
I’m thankful you have so much support and that you know that you’re not In This Boat Alone. All I Need To Know is you believe me when I say that I Will Stand by you no matter what and would do anything To Get To You if you needed me, after all, That’s Why I’m Here! I know all of this will be much Better As A Memory and that there’s more to come Down The Road and I know that you will deal with that with the same Be As You Are outlook but Just Not Today…
…Today, we once again get to Set This Circus Down, be Still, feel a little Freedom from all the I’m Workin’, Shiftwork. Let the Last Dollar Fly Away and break free from Reality… I Need You to Let It Go… ALL of it, and truly break free from the past few months. So, instead of sitting Where The Green Grass Grows, we Will Stand, Somewhere In The Sun, in front of an Old Blue Chair with an awesome view of your Island Boy (who I’m sure you begged to Please Come To Boston), Kenny, as he sings about Guitars and Tiki Bars with my Indian Outlaw and Real Good Man, Tim, For A Little While. Ohhh, he definitely brings out The Cowboy In Me or Something Like That but that’s just Between The River And Me! 😉
You are one of the world’s most Beautiful People and are certainly the Spirit Of The Storm. Your French Kissin’ Life and Live A Little, always Smiling, attitude is contagious. You’re optimism makes me believe that no matter what life throws at us we can ask, Do You Want Fries With That?
This Is Our Moment with the Brothers Of The Sun! So, tonight I want you to know that When The Sun Goes Down, When The Stars Go Blue and the Magic of the concert begins we will Live Those Songs in Boston while pretending we’re going Coastal, we’ll Feel Like A Rock Star while singing, I Like It, I Love It, in our most Southern Voices and I’m absolutely certain that we’ll Sing ‘Em Good My Friend. It Doesn’t Get Any Countrier Than This and I am looking forward Just To See You Smile. This is definitely The Good Stuff and I can honestly say for a moment like this, with My Best Friend, I Never Wanted Nothin’ More!!!!!!!!
So, are we gonna have a good time? Well, Truck Yeah!!!!
I love you BFF,
Tina
I was laughing so hard at the end of that – a perfect way to start the night, and a letter to treasure forever! And while we DID have a blast, I’m afraid I wasn’t able to completely forget the c-word: I cried through Live Like You Were Dying – it obviously really hit home – and one of my other friends, Laura, who was sitting in another section even texted me during that song, which made me cry even more! I saw Heather and some of her family (which was like my family through middle and high school) for the first time since all this and it was hard to hold back the tears, then, too. Especially when Heather caught one of my lashes that had just fallen out and held it so I could make a wish … (And Heather, Laura and I ran into another friend from high school – Kristin – it was like a reunion!) Even on facebook another friend, Heather P-C, sweetly reminded me to stay hydrated!
I think it goes without saying that I am the luckiest girl in the world, with the best friends (near and far) anyone could wish for…
Amy's America 