Monday, April 22, 2024

TCATS #488 - Wes

I first met Wes in June of 2018. He had started his choir experience earlier that year, but even though he also sang bass, our paths never really crossed until the seating manager put us together one Thursday night. I remember the feeling I had when I sat next to him and after we had talked a little bit: lighter. Sort of like all the burdens I was carrying weren't so heavy anymore. I remember telling him afterwards something like "I don't know if fate will sit us together again, but I sure hope so."  He smiled at that and said "I hope so too!"

Little did either of us know that fate certainly intended to do just that. Over and over and over again for the next six years. In fact, it actually became unusual that we didn't sit together--even for concerts and General Conference. The times we weren't together though, we were still near each other, and we quickly fell into the routine of talking before rehearsals, giving commentary on the music we were singing, and then walking back to our cars after it was over--which gave us a chance to catch up on the highlights of each others' lives. And since Wes is one who always appreciates openly giving and receiving hugs, we'd end with one of those before saying goodbye.

That's how things played out year in and year out. Occasionally we'd text during the week just to check in, talk about life happenings and our families, and talk about 80s pop/alternative music (which we both loved). 

I'm not exactly sure why our friendship worked so well from an external perspective. Wes is a much different type of person than I am. He's extroverted and checks almost every box for yellow personalities:

Optimism
Enthusiasm
Talking with others
Spontaneous in actions and decisions
Creative
Persuasive
Sociable

Wes also really likes sports. All sorts of sports. Not really playing them so much (though I know he plays some), but watching them and knowing the make-up of teams, who's who, and how they perform week to week (especially BYU). I even think his dream job would be to become one of those sportscasters, providing all of the background commentary on sporting events as they happen real-time.

Wes is also a solid, orthodox member of the Church, and a young dad with three little kids at home which makes for a very busy life. I remember how that was for me over twenty years ago...

Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is that even though I don't match up with any characteristics or commonalities as described above, our friendship just works. And the thing I've benefited the very most from our friendship heralds back to what I noticed the first time I met him: his ability to lift me up, to paint the world in brighter colors, to help me focus on the good, and to help me feel like things are all going to work out. I can't begin to tell you what a lifeline Wes became for me, especially as I had so many life challenges I was going through.

I think our friendship worked, too, because singing songs that touch our souls, side by side, can't help but form a bond. Particularly when there's such a solid friendship to begin with. The sacred music just builds on that friendship and it becomes something that's not explicitly talked about that often, but exists as this invisible thread...

[Sigh]

So...with all that as a background, yesterday I said good-bye to him. I stood next to him as he sang his last broadcast. I cried as we sang the last song: "Come Thou Fount". I couldn't help but think of all the "little" things--all Wes-related--that have made my choir experience what it has come to be. 

As I gave him a final hug following the Release Program, he gave me one of his big smiles and a reminder that this wasn't "goodbye" just "see you later".  

I walked back to the car as more tears came. And those tears continued throughout the day as I tried to picture how my Choir-Minus-Wes experience would be in the weeks ahead. 

I'll end with a few things I'll miss most about my friend, along with a few of my favorites pics of us.

*I’ll miss the fist bumps we'd do after successfully performing songs.
*I’ll miss witnessing his kind, genuine, and sincere interactions with others.
*I’ll miss the back-and-forth commentary we made on certain songs we sang.
*I’ll miss seeing the reactions of all of the people he complimented everywhere he went.
*I’ll miss his shared sympathies when we'd sing the two songs we mutually dislike the most: “I Think the World is Glorious” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”.
*I’ll miss his smile, optimism and laughter.
*I’ll miss our impromptu singing and talking about 80s songs.
*I’ll miss shooting the breeze with him during the breaks.
*I’ll miss knowing that someone will always be waiting for me.
*I’ll miss his bro hugs.

Take care my friend!
You changed my life.

Until next time, God be with you.

 










 


 

No comments:

Post a Comment