I step into the building. It is loud from music and the chatter of many faithful fans. I have my mother's smart phone in hand to record this night, because it is important. I step over to the middle area of the club. The floor is made of smooth wood and spreads away from a big stage, with some musical instruments already set up; drums, a keyboard, and some microphones. The instruments are only there for the opening performance, the major show is hiding behind a black curtain onstage.
I step amongst the crowd forming in front of the stage, I begin to feel excitement stir in my stomach. I estimate I am about twenty feet away from the stage, 'as close as I can get', I thought. After an hour of waiting in the crowd, the three members in the opening act appear. Three young men who make up the local band AJR, they introduce themselves and begin playing. Their music is very good, they preform original songs, an homage to the Beach Boys, and a cover of a song I don't know. After they finish, they say they are going over to the merchandise stand for autographs and such. I stay among the crowd, not wanting to lose my place,
Another hour I wait, after the instruments are cleared from the stage, the waiting music stops and the lights dim. The crowd begins cheering, then chanting her name, “Lindsey! Lindsey! Lindsey!”
A light on stage reveals a man beating his drumset in a familiar beat. The excitement I feel begins to spread, I can hardly contain myself. Then, what I and the crowd have been waiting for, appears to our ears. The violin is played with the expertise of a lifetime, the crowd begins to scream with excitement. A light from behind the black curtain reveals a giant silhouette of her, I can see her real self in front of the light, but she is obscured. I can't help shouting “It's her!” I begin snapping pictures and videoing. My excitement explodes when the drums release a huge “bang!” then the curtain falls, lights flash, and the noise grows. Now I can see her clearly, she dances like a sprite from faerie, “she's so beautiful!” I shout over the crowd. It is as if her violin is part of her, a muscle that works naturally just as her legs work, dancing and springing off the stage like it's made of fire. The song is an original, it is beautiful and well-written, one that her fans love. It is so real, I can't believe I'm actually watching the amazing violinist, Lindsey Stirling, in real life.

I went to that concert on June 18th, 2014. It was the first Lindsey Stirling concert I've ever been to, and it was overall, the first concert I've ever been to. When I first listened to Lindsey Stirling's music, it was at the end of 2012 and I thought it was another year where I had not made any progress in a YouTube career I started. The first Lindsey Stirling song I listened to was Crystallize, it was a dubstep violin song and I thought it was pretty good. I began listening to more of Lindsey's music and became a fan almost instantly.
I subscribed to Lindsey's YouTube channel “lindseystomp” and would get excited whenever she released a new song or uploaded something. In her new album “Shatter Me” she has a song with the same title which told a part of her story. Lindsey at one point, had become subject to one of society's poisons: self-perfection. She fought and rejected the poison with the help of her family, her God, and her dreams which she shared.
Lindsey had almost won America's Got Talent, but was voted down for some reason. This was actually a good thing, because the cruel mask of the fame she almost received could have destroyed Lindsey's image.
At the concert, Lindsey shared some stories and some words of wisdom. Stories of how she had been rejected and eventually rose from those ashes and was able to share her music. The advice she shared was so down-to-earth, as if she was put on earth to inspire the human souls in this world. I almost cried from her words, even as I write this, I remember what she said and some tears try to escape.
I have a social anxiety that I suspect was dormant until my closest friends moved away, then I lost the ability to communicate socially. When I learned more from Lindsey and many of the other forms of entertainment I enjoy, and some help from others, I began speaking out again. I have been told I can see the good parts in other humans, more easily than others can. I suspect Lindsey is one of the few people in this world who can see people as I do, removing any blemishes and bruises and seeing the goodness within.
I love Lindsey Stirling, not romantically (though I may have a tiny crush), but I love her as I would to a friend, a spirit who is not seen that humans thank. She is too beautiful inwardly and on the outside to lose to time, but hopefully when that day comes that her time is done, she leaves as she is now, if not, better. But let's not dwell that far into the future, right now I have to get ready to meet Lindsey in person and share about who I am. I would say “hi, I'm (my name here), I have socially anxiety, I'm tongue tied, I'm a writer, I wish to keep a dying language alive, I ride the unicycle, and you, Lindsey Stirling are among the many people (real and fictional) who have inspired me to break social norms and keep fighting through the rain until I find the sun. Mòran Taing and I have a special place in my heart for you.”