Saturday, July 9, 2011

A Decade Later- My Upcoming Date with U2

November of 2001 was an emotional time in the United States. We were riding the anger, confusion, and sorrow of the September 11 tragedy, and I was beginning a new phase of my life as I was inching closer to proposing to my wonderful wife Sandy, whom I had met about eleven months prior. With all of these memories vying for their place in my historical calendar, November of 2001 will always be the month remembered as the first time I had a chance to see U2 perform live on stage. The music was incredible. The crowd connecting perfectly with the musicians, and the encore brought my most memorable concert moment to date. The names of all of those who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks were scrolled up the wall from floor to ceiling until they disappeared into darkness as the band performed the song "One".

That memory of U2 is the number one memory of hundreds that surround that band for me over the last 20 years. Rarely do you get a chance to see a band that influences your life so deeply from 25 years, but U2 returns to Saint Louis on July 17, and I can't wait. The video below was an incredible appetizer for next week. There is something special about this band, a depth that has truly made their longevity possible. I worry at times about setting the expectations too high for this concert, but I don't care because it will be an incredible night for music. You can breath in good music, and it fills the soul. I have a crush on U2, and I get another date with them a just a few days.

It is impossible to be a passion-driven leader unless you have things that you are passionate about both in school and beyond school. You have to know what it feels like to care, to love, to be passionate. I have U2 (and a few other things). What are you so passionate about that it causes the emotions to swell and tears to form? Having those things, knowing those things are all part of the road to passion-driven leadership.

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