I got to see David and The Anthemic last night in my hometown - this of itself was very special to me. I've attended 3 other concerts and each was a unique step in the journey that I've (and probably many of us) have been on, parallel with the one David is on.

As minstrel wisely pointed out - David is not your typical 26 yo. He has experienced more of life's ups and downs than most people his age. I believe that's what gives him the outlook and perspective that he appears to have. I, too, have experienced many of life's curveballs and the past year has been a challenging one for our family - mostly unemployment, work and career challenges. It has changed my perspective too and is probably why I am drawn to him. When I met David briefly at Radford, I gave him a gift - a shirt that says "Live Like a Kid... B Who UR" and asked him to autograph a matching shirt for me. It probably seemed a little odd to him and who knows if he ever wore it, but it's from the little business my husband and I started - selling shirts with messages that remind us that life is about the journey, the fun and approaching life from that perspective.

I keeping coming back to the metaphor of the journey - each concert I attended seemed to be a different, but crucial step in getting to where David and the band are today. The William and Mary concert - crowd was half college girls who knew him from Idol and half diehard fans like me. It was at that concert when he announced he'd be taking some time off to be with family that I realized just how emotionally invested I'd become in this young man. They closed the concert with Light On and for me it was his pledge to the fans that he'd be back and that he wanted us to keep the "light on". It was a request for faithfulness.

That Radford concert was all rock star - he seemed to be having a great time and I was relieved to see some moments of joy for him. Then I got to meet him, although briefly, and he reinforced the normal but extraordinarily sweet, thoughtful perception I had of him.

Next came the Race for Hope - that's when I became a lifelong member of this community - Minstrel calls it Dave's Tribe and I think that's such an apt description. We shared the common goal of raising money for a cause dear to his heart and shared his grief at losing his brother. That experience has left an indelible mark on me and I recall it often as a reminder to tell those I love how much they mean to me and to continue to work, even in a small way, to kick cancer's ass.

Virginia Beach - huge, rowdy crowd (I was in the free seats ) Most meaningful part for me was to sing along to A Daily Anthem (my favorite song on DCTR) with thousands of arms in the air, next to the ocean. Another reminder of the community we've built.

Which brings me to today - the Declaration tour chapter has closed for me and soon will for David. I am anticipating the next chapter, not with angst and trepidation, but with anticipation that we have not yet seen the best of David Roland Cook and I am so privileged to be along for the ride with all of you. Who cares if the "hit of the moment" award show doesn't acknowledge him? It's all about the journey and it's going to be a long and successful one.