Where the music takes me . . .

It's strange how it feels like this tour just began, while at the same time it seems like I've been away from home forever. I pushed open the curtains of my hotel room here in Baltimore this morning and saw a U-Haul truck painted with a big green arrow and large white letters which read H O M E. The shorter six week time span of this tour was a great idea because while we're certainly all tired, we're not completely drained like we were after nearly six months straight on the road last year. Home is calling.


Last night's show in Reading, PA was an emotional high as the house was packed with a fired-up audience. As a performer you can't help but give back all you can when an audience responds like that one did. It was a great show. One of the high points for me was looking out into the crowd and seeing my friend Denise on her feet, dancing and clapping her hands. If you've read my guest book today you'll see a reference about a woman who fell ill after the show last night - that was Denise. She's having a tough battle with the effects of cancer and surgery, but her focus isn't on the pain or the fight, rather it is on drinking every drop of life that is left in her cup. We should all have such a clear vision of what's important.

I had been informed that she wanted to see me after the show for a moment if possible, so I quickly changed and headed out to look for her. I went all the way around the building, signing autographs and posing for photo's on the way and made it all the way back to the busses before deciding I must have missed her. Just as I was giving up she appeared with a group of friends. She told me she had a couple of gifts for me and pulled a floppy stuffed monkey from a plastic bag and said "This one is for your arm." As she finished attaching it to my arm she told me to wait and pulled out another and said "This one is for your head." (if you don't know the significance of these monkeys then you need to read my journal archives and look at the photographs pages)

We all laughed as David and monkey-boy posed for a picture with Denise. I told her it was perfect except I didn't have a monkey screaming in my ear. Denise then belted out her best monkey scream impression. Now it was truly perfect. Friends snapped a few more pictures and I notice Denise's countenance change from joy to disorientation. Almost immediately she collapsed to the ground as we did our best to break her fall. I'm so thankful that I was in a position to get my hand underneath her head before she hit the concrete.

There were a few tense minutes as Denise endured a couple of debilitating seizures before paramedics took her to the hospital. Her friend Debbie Ronning followed the ambulance and let me know this morning that Denise was only there for a little while and plans on seeing our last concert tonight. Wow!

There's another story within this story that is waiting to be told. I don't have enough time to sort it all out right now but its lesson includes the importance of seeking life and finding joy.

Right now I have to turn my attentions toward the myriad of details and pesky necessities that need attention today so I can go home tomorrow. I'll probably get some writing time while on my flight so look for a journal update around midday Friday after we land. I have more pictures to post but they'll have to wait until I get home. Thanks for reading and I'll see some of you tonight for our final show in Baltimore!

¶ 1:17 PM