780 [OLD]

I had a dream.

It was of me as a 6 year old being taken to watch the live concert of REO Speedwagon. My mother was a big fan, and when she heard that REO was coming to Plexelton, she literally screamed in excitement. That woke me up. My mother raced up the stairs into the nursery, picked me up in her comforting magic and raced down the stairs again, me flying through the air scared and excited at the same time. She, while carrying me, blazed through breakfast and forgot to feed me as she head into the car with my dad and drove off, all while geeking out at my dad like a fangirl.

At this point, they realized what they had done, so they went to McDonalds and ordered me a small french fry. I ate it all. It was delicious.

They kept driving through the road, and that's when REO came on.

It was Keep On Loving You. Of course, I never heard this song before, or REO, but it sounded cool.

"And I meant,

every word I said

When I said that I love you I meant

that I love you forever"

"Do you know we're gonna see these guys in concert?!?! Yaaaaaaay!" Mom said during the chorus in that baby-talk voice. I, of course, having no idea what a concert is, just sat there and said, "Ok," because I had no other response.

We arrived at the big stadium with me being a little bit confused. This year, they took me to a hoofball game there. They told me about the game, how the players move the ball down the field and kick it into the goal, but I still didn't really grasp it. I didn't really care that much for it anyway. That was all I thought of it, just a hoofball stadium. So, I asked, "They're going to play hoofball?"

"No, silly, they're playing music!" Mom replied.

"But how are they going to play with all the hoofball players playing hoofball?"

"There's no hoofball game."

"Oh."

My parents both laughed, and I instinctively laughed with them. I sometimes wish that child-like innocence would come back some day. It was so fun.

We trotted into the stadium where we bought tickets at the door and went into the stadium. It was a roomy stadium, with about a thousand seats. We sat in the top rows. I remember being shocked at how high up we were. Even though there were many rows of seats below and in front of us, I was a little scared about falling. Then, I saw ponies set up some... Things. There was a club-like thing, many circle-like things hooked together somehow, and many other... Things. I wondered what they were going to do with all of this. Then the music started.

The music blared through the stadium, crowds cheering and amazing lighting affects taking center stage. It hurt my eyes a little bit. I was fascinated by the performance, on how the ponies strummed the big club-like thing, banged sticks on the circle-like things. I thought to myself, I want to do that. It seems so cool. I had no idea what exactly it was, but it was interesting. All this time I was listening to lame foals' songs. This was something different. It was cool.

"Is this a concert," I asked

I remember the song that I loved the most. The one where I found out who I am. The one where I got my cutie mark at just six years old.

Ridin' the Storm Out.

The signature guitar note played and my mom went nuts. Then the song started.

"Ridin' the storm out,

waitin' for the thaw out

On a full moon night in the rocky mountain winter..."

My mom got up and, without asking, carried me on my back, jumping up and down. I got a little dizzy trying to watch the band while my mom kept shaking my view. I called out to her to stop, but she couldn't hear me over the loudness of the performance. Oh well.

"And I'm not missing a thing

watchin' the full moon crossing the range

Ridin' the storm out,

ridin' the storm out

Ridin' the storm out,

ridin' the storm out"

My mom stopped jumping but was still screeching with excitement. I wondered if she was going to pass out. Eventually, she calmed down, her throat possibly hurting from all the screaming, and got back down. I still was just laying on her back, watching the show.

"Lady beside me and she's there to guide me

She says that alone we've finally found our home

And the wind outside is frightening

But it's kinder than the lightning life in the city

It's a hard enough to live but it give back of what you give

And I'm not missing a thing

watchin' the full moon crossing the range

ridin' the storm out,

ridin' the storm out

ridin' the storm out,

ridin' the storm out

Woah, yes I am"

I felt all the instruments combine into some sort of epic melody. All the parts just felt great with each other. I felt more than ever the desire to do what they do. Heck, I'll carry all the instruments in magic and play them all at once. I'll be a one-mare-band. I just want to do this.

But I still have no idea what exactly it is.

During the last bridge, I asked my mom, "What is this?"

"It's rock, sweetheart."

Rock. A lot of things were rocking here. The crowd, the club-like things, the ponies on stage... I guess that's why it's called rock. Everyone rocks in Rock.

Then something ticked in my mind.

"It's cool!" I said, realizing that this is what I want to do with my life. Rock. Rock, rock, and rock some more. This is where I belong. In a concert, fascinated by the displays. In a tour bus, putting together a gig. At home, playing a riff on a guitar.

I want to rock.

"I know, right? You wanna be like them?"

By now, I knew my answer fair and square.

"Yeah!"

In the big finale, I felt a little warmer on my butt.

My cutie mark is not signifying me of being a DJ.

It's signifying me as being a music fanatic.

And to this day, when I get the chance too, I pick up my vintage Fender Stratocaster and play a tune on it. Preferably REO.

I was thinking about this when I woke up.