No Better Word

On Wednesday, August 6, 2014, my bestie and I attended the Sara Bareilles concert at McMenamins Edgefield in Gresham, Oregon where we were seated next to a really sweet couple. At this particular venue, the chairs are reeeaally close together, so you really get to know your neighbors! Good thing we actually hit it off with these two! ;) Throughout the show, we would sing and dance and just chat when we could. They bought us some PBR, which was just awesome and so nice!

Then after the show, we wanted to get photos all together (because we were all new besties) in front of the stage. At that point, they mentioned they were at Sara's show as a celebration! So we asked what they were celebrating? She said, "The end of my chemo!" And of course, my bestie and I were just so inspired by her! She never let on once that she was fighting anything, let alone some kind of illness that required chemo! She was just happy and sweet and spirited and just genuinely one of the nicest girls we had ever met! So, my friend then gives her the "Sara Bareilles BRAVE" bracelet she had just purchased from Merch and I wanted to give her something too! I realized I was wearing my "STRONGER" Giving Key and at that moment, there was just no better word!

At this point, all of us are crying (her boyfriend included) and I take off my Giving Key and she's trying to tell me, "No! It's ok! You don't have to give me that!" at the same time my bestie and I are trying to explain just what it is! THIS is why The Giving Keys exist! To give away to someone who inspires you and really either needs the word stamped on the key, or IS the word stamped on the key! And that's what she is. STRONGER.

God brought us all together that night. And it was a beautiful thing. We all left that concert a little more loved and inspired and stronger.