Why is a question I get asked a lot – especially when it comes to Hanson. Why are you going to Oklahoma? Why are you going to Jamaica, again? Why do you have to see Hanson in concert so many times?
And to be quite honest it’s not something that I can easily put into words. I feel like in order to truly understand Why? you have to be a part of it. Case in point, I was sitting on a couch in the lobby of the resort in Jamaica last month and one of the staff members asked – “Why?” Why do you travel to see them? Why do you do this? I was with 2 of my friends and we kind of just sat there… I said “It’s fun!” Which wasn’t a lie but also wasn’t properly explaining anything either and then he said (probably not verbatim) “I saw their performance last night. I get it. I get why you travel for them.” And it was probably one of the best reactions I’ve ever had the privilege of hearing.
It has gotten to the point now where seeing Hanson is (almost) just a bonus. I’m more excited to see my friends. Friends from around the world. In the past year or so I’ve become pretty close with a group of Hanson fans and on any given day I could be talking to someone from pretty much any corner of the world. And no, we don’t just talk about Hanson all day. While it may have began that way, we’ve formed real relationships so we talk about what you would talk about with any of your friends. The only difference is for most people their friends live probably in the same state as them and they can hang out face to face more often. We can’t, so we use these Hanson events as semi-regular excuses to see each other again.
The last night in Jamaica, even though we were bummed to have to be going home after having a great week together – but we didn’t say “goodbye”, we said “see you in Tulsa”. Hanson Day Weekend is just around the corner! (Kind of.) And when we leave Tulsa in May, once again for most of us it won’t be goodbye, it will be “See you in Jamaica” or “See you on tour” (Assuming one is announced *fingers crossed*)
It’s kind of sad that so many people don’t seem to “get it” because I wish that everyone had this sort of support system and community!