Life is Like...

... a concert.

(Yes, that is Sara Bareilles. Yes, she sounded better live than she does on a recording. Yes, she inspired me to come straight home and write a blog post comparing life to a concert. She is just that talented).

Some people wait in line for a really long time to get tickets. When they hear the first song of the show, they know it was worth the wait.

Some people sing along because they know every word by heart. Some people are learning songs they've never heard. Either way they are all enjoying something together, which proves that people of all types can get along if they just shut up and listen.

Some people are way too concerned about how cute their footwear is and sacrifice comfort for fashion. They (hopefully) learn from their mistake and wear comfortable shoes to every concert after that. I personally learned a long time ago that unless you are a Dr. Scholls foot model, no one is really looking at your feet during a concert.

Some people wear earplugs. I'll never understand this. Maybe I'll be deaf someday, but I figure we all will be at some point. Why plug up the sound of something you paid good money to hear? In life, unplug your ears. Listen, truly listen to the people that are around you. God gave us two ears and one mouth. This is the perfect segue to my next point.

Some people talk over the performer, which makes me think they A) either didn't want to come to the concert in the first place or B) missed out on Concert Etiquette 101 - DON'T COME TO A CONCERT TO TALK. I think this shows that some people on this earth are loudmouths that think they are always the center of the show. Thank goodness there are high powered speakers big enough to drown them out.

Some people spring for way-too-expensive concert t-shirts and sweatshirts (guilty as charged) to show their allegiance to that particular band. In life, we all show our allegiance to something. We better choose something worthy of that allegiance.

Some people call friends and hold up their cell phones so they can share in the concert experience. Basking in the radiation-filled glow of all the cell phones tonight (including my own) makes me remember how music connects people. Doesn't a certain song make you remember a moment you shared with someone you haven't talked to in awhile? Don't wait for a concert. Call them today. Hold up your cell phone to your stereo, reminisce, reconnect.

Some people rush off before the encore songs are over to avoid traffic. I'll never understand this either. Don't you know you're going to be waiting in traffic anyway? Why don't you stay home and listen to your CD and avoid the traffic altogether???

Now I know:
As in life, the point of a good concert isn't to get to the end of the set list. The point is to enjoy the show.