We all have our celebrity obsessions, and for me, John Mayer takes the cake.
I have been infatuated with him since his first CD, “Room For Squares,” was released and, well, the rest is history. Though perhaps some would assume they would outgrow their celebrity crushes from high school, I in fact still have a John Mayer shrine in my college dorm.
I think many other people can identify with him as much as I can. He was an awkward high school loner who would rather stay home and play his guitar than go to the notorious high school parties.
His songs always cover themes such as being too introspective (“Clarity”), being singled out (“Vultures”), fear of aging (“Stop This Train”), and questioning the meaning of life in general (“Why Georgia”).?I could go on and on about how much I love John Mayer but I think the reason is because he sings everything I feel but don’t know how to verbalize.
When I went to his “Battle Studies” concert in Boston not too long ago, there were thousands upon thousands of other die-hard John Mayer fans that shared my same connection with him.
They too felt like our pal John knew exactly what they were thinking, knew the feelings of insecurity, the accruing of self doubt as time moves along.
When the whole audience was standing up and singing along to “Bigger than My Body” with John Mayer’s silhouette made epic through the lighting, that is when it hit me – we are all in this together.
Why do we all live in our own little worlds, pitying ourselves and losing ourselves in thoughts that we think have never been thought by other people before?
Why do we spend so much time trying to conceal our self-doubt, our fears, when we all feel the same thing? Shouldn’t we all try to get through it together?
With John Mayer as our common beacon of guiding light, it was obvious that everyone could identify with the emotions portrayed in his songs.
If we could reach out to him and his lyrics, why couldn’t we reach out to each other and help each other along in our quest for self-fulfillment?
Usually, when I listen to his songs, I am alone with my iPod, creating a whole different world in my head, exclusive to Mayer and myself. His concert was the first time I really shared the rush of feelings I get when I listen to the one and only.
Thanks to John and his insightful songs that are too good not to be heard by everyone, I think we should all do more reaching out of our secluded comfort zones and push through our inhibitions together.
Ever since the John Mayer concert, I have made a point to be more inviting and congenial to people I don’t know that well, to put in-person communication in front of cyber communication, to be more accepting and tolerant of people I don’t quite understand, and to create more opportunities to share with my friends and family.
While I admit I was a tad jealous that everyone was disillusioned enough to believe that they had the same relationship with John Mayer as I did, I realized that I wanted to do something that impacts people the way his lyrics do. So John (can I call you John?) thank you for serenading me into a new outlook on myself, others, and life in general.
Oh, and if you and Jennifer Aniston are completely over, I’ll be around.
My favorite John Mayer songs (If I absolutely had to chose):
1. “Wheel;”?2. “Clarity;” 3. “Why Georgia;” 4. “Stop This Train” and?5. “No Such Thing.”
