I’m just sitting here, trying to come up with words to explain why Bon Jovi is on my beauty blog. I mean, besides the obvious reason: the man is ridiculously beautiful. Have you seen him smile? Sheesh. But my love for this rock star and this band goes so much deeper than that. Too deep, maybe, for anybody to understand. Too deep, maybe, to avoid ridicule.
So, I’m still sitting here, trying to think of ways not to sound like I’m crazy or creepy or pathetic. But here goes. I’ve been in a one-sided love affair with Bon Jovi since junior high, well over 20 years ago. It took, like, a whole second to fall in love while seeing them on MTV at my grandma’s (a rare treat, since we didn’t have cable). Soon, my walls were plastered with pictures from Tiger Beat and I was dreaming of the someday Jon would come find me and marry me.
Eventually, I realized marriage was not in the cards for us. Heartbreaking. But not as hard as some of the tough stuff I had to work through in those teenage years. Every time I felt low or hopeless or defeated, the one thing I could count on to lift me up was Bon Jovi. Over the years, their life-affirming anthems, their loyalty to each other, their work ethic, their staying power, their commitment to kindness and their authenticity all inspired me.
Last night, they did not disappoint. I had a perfect companion in my friend Michelle, a rock concert afficianado and the force behind Following Your Joy. The show was a well-blended cocktail of gritty rock ‘n roll and motivational messages. They sang all the classics (including my fave, Wanted Dead or Alive) but also got the packed stadium to pump their fists to songs about happiness, faith and loving your neighbor. In between songs, Jon said he thinks many of the world’s most important decisions are made around the dinner table in homes across America each night. And every decision comes from one of two places, he said: LOVE or FEAR. What if, he challenged the crowd, we all took a deep breath and let every decision every day come from a place of love? Could we change the world?
Then he launched into a new song and I found myself twirling, spinning, falling head over heels yet again – with him, with the band, with the music and the message. I don’t know how many Bon Jovi concerts I’ve now been to, but I can tell you this: every time I buy a ticket to their latest show or shell out the dough for their newest album, the decision to do so always comes from a place of love.
