Before I left for my familiarization trip, Rob asked me why I like to travel. My response: I love experiencing the different “hubs of love.”
A hub of love: a location in which people congregate to be refilled with feelings of goodwill, high hopes, and love. My favourite examples are:
- Airports: anxious arrivals, heart-string pulling departures, reconnecting family and lovers. You can’t help but smile when you see all those signs!
- Breath-taking viewpoints: high atop a mountain, staring over the ocean, sunsets in a park. These remind us about how amazing this world is.
- Dinner tables: endless conversations, laughter all around, great company. Be it at home or abroad, gathering around a table at the end of the day helps me decompress and re-energize.
- Live concerts: dancing to backbeats, new renditions of classics, singing with friends
- …. this list could go on for a while.
In Vancouver’s YVR, I saw the goodbyes of a little boy to his mom as he walked through the international departure gate.
In London, I got to dine with Conor and Lindsey over an incredible (UBC) family dinner.
In Paris, I watched the sun go down behind the Eiffel Tower, watch a young man get down on one knee during the aforementioned to propose to the love of his life, and saw Jason Mraz perform for a select few at a midnight acoustic show!
He opened the show with this little number (and the inspiration for this post). Note – I had to stop near the end because my memory card was dying:
Sidenote: Mid-show, he asked what happens on July 1st. The ladies around me and I all yelled out “It’s Canada Day!” (When I warned them pre-show about my dancing, I let them know I was from Canada and there to celebrate Canada Day with my favourite artist). Here is a better clip of this song than the one I took … you can even hear us:
When bad news, poor manners, or ignorant people come your way, just ask yourself “what can love do now?” If I was to add a little bit more positive energy, more goodwill, more love, what could it do to turn this uncomfortable situation around? It has been my mantra for this trip ever since his show, and I’m thinking it will do me well when I get back too! Everyone needs a little bit more love in their life!
Shameless plug: please don’t forget to donate to my Underwear Affair race. I am only $50 away from my goal and, with your support, we can help uncover a cure for cancers below the belt!
Pick of the Post (to honour MJ): Jason Mraz with Nikki Kerkhof – Billie Jean
2 pings
Matt Corker » Reflection From The 2nd Row says:
October 1, 2009 at 11:30 pm (UTC -7)
[...] again on a roadtrip to Denvor, CO to the inaugural Mile High Music Festival, and most recently at an intimate and impromptu show in Paris, France while I was there this past summer. The best thing is that each show fills me with gratitude, [...]
Matt Corker » Airport Musical: Welcome Home says:
October 30, 2010 at 7:30 pm (UTC -7)
[...] am infatuated with airports because they are true hubs of love. The video below shows how T-Mobile capitalized on that aspect of airports and created a [...]