Hello there, blue powerblogger here! I'm actually posting for once! Due to mix-ups in fill-ins, being out of town, and general being busy-ness, I have been unable to post for the past few weeks. I know, I'm lame, but I've been having the best summer of my life.
I just wanted to share a story with you guys that has really changed my life. At the end of June, I went to a Christian music camp called "Camp Electric". I was basically the most awesome week of my life! I'll throw this part in for June because he'll know most of these people-I was taught by Matt Hammit (Sanctus Real's lead vocalist), Trevor McNevan (FM Static/Thousand Foot Krutch lead vocalist) and Rob Beckley (Pillar lead vocalist), saw shows by Newsboys, Pillar, BarlowGirl, RED, and TobyMAC, and met some famous people-But none of that even compared to the reason my life was changed.
Enter Daniel, the random blond kid sitting in front of me during morning session on Tuesday, June 30, 2009. I made a comment about drummers being better than guitarists (no offense to you guitar players out there, but Aaron Gillespie has influenced my love for drummers) and he offhandedly answered my random comment with something like "I know, right?" Except I thought he was being sarcastic so I was just like "oh, sorry" but he responded that he was, in fact a drummer, and that he had met Aaron Gillespie. So we started a conversation, and my friends Justin and Timmy joined in. And that was it for then, just a random conversation with a random kid.
Later, Timmy and I were leaving his dorm when we saw Daniel. Timmy invited him to sit with us at session that evening. During session, an announcement was made about kids that needed to take their medicine. Daniel turned to us and said that he has to take seven types of medication four times a day. He confessed that he has thyroid, liver, and kidney problems, to name a few. A little piece of my heart went out to Daniel at that moment. Later during the BarlowGirl concert, Timmy told me he was going outside to hang out. After the concert, I rushed out to find him, and he and Daniel were sitting on the sidewalk. I sat with them for a few minutes before I realized that they were in the middle of a deep conversation. I stood up and walked a couple feet away, awkwardly. I then noticed that it looked like Daniel had been crying. I waited for my friend Stephanie to find me, and when she did, I told her about Timmy and Daniel's "deep conversation". I said to her that I just felt so bad for Daniel and that I wanted, more than anything, to just go up to him and give him a hug. While walking to the bus for the night, I saw Timmy and Daniel again. I went to say bye to Timmy and give him a hug. I said bye to Daniel, too, but Timmy must not have heard it because as I began to walk away, he said "Hey, Caroline, have you met Daniel?" I was like, "Uhh, yeah, me and Daniel are pals!" Daniel then walked up to me and asked, "well then don't I get a hug, too?" Of course, I gave him one. I just felt so happy to be able to make him feel needed or important or loved, or whatever it was that he needed to feel. In bed that night, I realized that just four nights before I had finished a song about struggles in life. I wrote it mainly for my friend Justin, but I didn't want to use his name in it, so I randomly chose the name Daniel because I felt like it fit well with the song. Little did I know, I would meet a kid named Daniel shortly after whose life mirrored the song.
The next day, I was waiting for Timmy outside his dorm when I saw Daniel. He came and sat with me and we talked a little bit. Daniel began to open up about his life, saying that some lady he didn't even know paid the entire $800+ dollars to go to Camp Electric. He then said that he had kind of a troubled life and that he had recently lost a lot of faith in God. I told him about the song I wrote that had his name in it and how it was such a weird coincidence. Then came the part where I just lost my heart to him. He said, "I haven't even learned anything about drums here; I think that God brought me here not for music, but to meet Timmy and meet you." To hear those words coming from someone is the most amazing feeling ever. Just to know that you helped change someone's life, it changes your life.
Needless to say, our goodbyes were painful. He lives in Knoxville, a good ten or so hours away from our town. But I text Daniel every two days just to talk. He wants me to come visit him and go to Ohio Warped Tour with him and other stuff. I want him to move here. We also discussed with Timmy the fact that we want Daniel to be in our band. He is a legit drummer, apparently, and I would love for him to be OUR drummer. I even made him an epic birthday present (his birthday is at the end of the month). They are drumsticks with "Daniel's Song" written on them. And I might be visiting him before the end of summer!
Overall, Daniel has changed my beliefs about coincidence and purpose. He has shown me that sometimes you meet people for reasons far greater than you I could have imagined. He has strengthened my faith in God, my faith in friendship, and my faith in love. And he is someone I will never forget.
So that's my "epic" story. I hope that all of you guys have had/will have an experience similar to that sometime in your life. And listen to the song "Lay Your Weapons Down" by Brand New Shadows. It's not screamo, I promise :)
Until next week, for which I will need a fill-in since I will be at WARPED TOUR :D in Tampa,
-Caroline
No comments:
Post a Comment