What Really Matters

Last night's Bon Jovi concert was completely worth the investment and it provided a great opportunity to bond with fellow Chicagoans, eat well, kick back and relax, and log new memories.

We started the day by going in to work for a couple hours (hey, I had some stuff I needed to finish). Work isn't a bad drive from the Loop, so we hopped on the Dan Ryan and quickly parked the car in the Soldier Field lot. We didn't even think to bring tailgating paraphernalia; half of Chicago was out there tailgating at the tender hour of 3pm! Nonetheless, we know the pubs in South Loop and visited a couple for old time's sake, Grace O'Malley's and Weathermark Tavern.

After a couple 312's, we decided it was time to eat, so we grabbed the last available table at Zapatista's. Zapatista's has THE best Mexican good anywhere (possibly including Mexico). It makes any other Mexican restaurant seem a miserable imitation.

So we filled our bellies and walked back over to Soldier Field. Our seats were pretty high up, but we enjoyed a superb view of the entire stadium, the lake front, and Navy Pier. It was perfect. While the show was officially sold-out, we had a few empty seats around us so we could kick back and recline.

Kid Rock was first to play; his concert was interesting. That guy has an ego! He has maybe three well-known hits and after playing those, he covered a few hits from the '70's. He strutted around the stage and what's funny, is that several folks went to the concert for him and left before Bon Jovi took the stage!

Then with a grandiose opening befitting a 26-year veteran of rock music, Bon Jovi made his entrance. It wasn't the religious experience I had during the latest U2 concert, but the huge arena concert fits Bon Jovi well. Amazingly, his voice is the same as in the '80's. We bopped around to his classics, "Shot Through the Heart," "Blaze of Glory," and "Livin' on a Prayer." We were treated to Chicago magic when, during "Bad Medicine," the Navy Pier fireworks exploded in the sky. Navy Pier puts on a nightly 20-minute show and because of our stellar location, our line of vision included Bon Jovi, the Chicago skyline, and the firework displays.

Bon Jovi also played their newer hits, during which Jack and I would discuss our dreams and goals. It was ear-ringing loud, but we could still hear each other. We discussed what was ironically echoed in one of today's readings from church...about not seeking possessions for happiness, but rather, the things that really matter. Granted, it's possible to interpret "what really matters" through an individual's creed or believe system.

For us, it just means that money is a means. Possessions are a means. We want to spend our money on experiences and memory-building, not in acquiring things that won't hold meaning very long. However, the experiences hold value for your lifetime. Sitting in the upper deck of Soldier Field, enjoying Bon Jovi tunes from our adolescent years, meeting new people in the city, and having someone you love to share it all with, well, that's what really matters.

Okay, cheesey sentiments are over for the evening!