There is a lot of love in this world. but when a mama loves her child, she loves them fiercely; she loves them selflessly and with her whole heart. I'll tell you how I know. I'm part of an online community of people who listen to the same music and listen to the same podcast. The group has members from all over the world, and we try to meet up and see each other when we can. I've met some really cool people from the group, and I love it, but sometimes meeting strangers can be worrisome. So when I told my mom that I wanted to host 50 of them over Spring Break to get together at her home and have the lead singer of the band Silverstein, who hosts the podcast come and sing, I fully expected her to lose her mind.
But you know what she did? That mama of mine not only said yes, but she also came to my house to watch RT and worked at my house helping us pack for the move. She made pans of food for the dinner one night. She cleaned her house and got it ready.
The weekend was awesome, filled with introductions, laughs, love, and community that shines through broken down transmissions, cleaning up the aftermath of a night of drinking, bridge closings, and changes of plans. The feeling of a hot sweaty room packed full of people who are screaming the same song as the lead singer of one of your favorite bands plays live is one I truly will never forget. I think there is something secret and special about this type of music, that only people who get it feel.
After four quick days that ran into nights, (or long nights that ran into days?), we assessed the damage of the house. Broken thresholds and toilet seats, bottles everywhere, mountains of dirty sheets and towels were all around... and do you know what my mom said to me? "I'm proud of you." I had to read the text three times. Here is a woman, displaced from her home, packing up a house that isn't hers, watching a bored toddler, who came home to a house full of kids and sleeping bags and beer bottles, and her words were that she was proud of me? She went on to tell me that I was making international friendships and that hosting events like this are hard work, but that she was proud that I did it.
Is this woman insane?! Who would love someone like this, except your mama? It made me stop and reflect. Would I do something like this for RT? Without question. But why? Because I want his life to be as awesome as possible, like mine has been. I want him to make memories that will last him forever. I want him and his friends to feel welcome and comfortable in my home. I want him to have the same feeling of love and joy that I felt when we were all singing along. Because ain't nobody love that boy like his mama.
Looking for a new podcast? This group listens and follows Lead Singer Syndrome with Shane Told. Be on the lookout for the upcoming live episode, recorded at my mom's house, right here in Tidewater!
