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Well, it's morning in Oslo. I awake to the reality that the grande finale of my 3 concerts-in-a-row with Leonard Cohen European Tour 2013 is over.

I'm an American who crossed the pond for several reasons, an important one being the experience with Leonard in different cultural settings. I'd long dreamed of this journey, looked forward to the adventure, the music and the crowd-watching. Now that the emotional roller-coaster is over, I am awash in gratitude.

Why? In part for the example that Leonard sets for men as gentlemen. Maybe in Europe there isn't so much friction between the sexes as in the States these days, but I truly appreciate his mastery in communicating what it means to fully be a man. I doubt I'm the only woman who hungers for men who comprehend the sensibilities of Leonard's work. Bless him for taking on such a formidable task.

But being a gentleman extends to all beings, and it comes through so strongly in the love and respect he exudes towards the talent on his stage. It is contagious. You can see each person gleam with pride to be apart of it all as he acknowledges them repeatedly throughout the evening. Leonard will long be known as one who set a very high bar with this level of appreciation for his complements. That's one of the reasons his shows sell-out. People are hungry for connection with this, too.

Also, as a meditator, a defining element of my kinship with Leonard extends from our exploration of the limitless. It's obvious to see how his practices, imperfect as he claims they were, affect him. His voice is better, his smile broader, eyes more twinkly and his knees are working really, really well. Being guru-esque befits him. At the end of each concert he blesses everyone's lives to be filled with friends and family. But he never forgets the loner. He says "if solitude is your calling, may the blessings find you, too."

May we all be so open-hearted as Leonard, who gives voice and color to the full emotional spectrum and then is able to bow down, tip his hat and skip around so joyfully. May Leonard and the band continue to enjoy their love of life and play on, and on, and on.

Thanks for reading. It felt good to write.
bjs

Thank you BJS for your concert report and impressions. Great to hear your thoughts and feelings and good for you for following your passion
and going to those 3 concerts.
I appreciate your words.
Leslie

I really enjoyed your article bj. Very well written and very thoughtful. Thank you!

bjsadtler wrote:Thanks for reading. It felt good to write.bjs

It felt so good to read what you wrote - thank you! And, welcome to the forum.
Best regards,
Mary

What a beautiful post, BJ. Thank you for speaking for those of us women who, for whatever reason, aren't as articulate. Many times women friends of mine who are LC fans try to express just what it is about LC that we all love so much. I think you defined it well. Huzzza for gentlemen!

BJ has me thinking.... I think LC could be some kind of a Jesus bomb or a Buddha bomb. I mean if he did enough concerts in the right places, perhaps we'd have world peace! To be amongst that much generosity and grace and respect for others (and other's) is to walk away with the biggest smile on one's face ever.

And, we here, on the Forum, are all brought together by LC. I was supposed to go to the Zurich show but couldn't and sold my seat of a lifetime to the nicest man in Bulgaria. It was a little dicey as to whether he'd get the ticket on time. There were shipping and cost hiccups but we kept in touch and he got my ticket and he went to the show. And, tonight he sent me a wonderful photo of him sitting in the front row holding the ticket that had spent a month or so on my refrigerator. He's pretty much family now.

I'm glad so many people in the world have been able to be a part of Leonard's universe. It's a wonderful place to be. I wish he could go to #Syria.