bebereader
djafan
voiceadmin
I wrote this letter to David right after Season 7 and I collected letters from other fans to be put into a notebook which I gave to David’s dad at Ford Day.
Dear David,
Your voice jumped out of my television and into my heart as I tuned into another season of American Idol. I have watched the show every season, and was ready for another entertaining one this year. I had no idea that I was about to be overcome with a rush of emotions, and plunge head-first into a joy I hadn’t experienced before.
From the first moment I heard you sing, I knew that you were something special. It seemed as though you weren’t singing, or performing, but acting as a channel though which the music came. Your voice touched a place in me that I didn’t even know existed, a place where flying feels possible, and love and beauty abounds. I have never been so moved by someone’s voice before, and I don’t believe that I will be again. I didn’t know I needed to feel that place, but you came and showed it to me. I didn’t know that my heart could soar so high and that I could be so uplifted by a voice, but you sang and the path became illuminated, and I’ve been in flight ever since.
Getting to know you during the season just endeared you to me all the more. Your sweet spirit and humility, your joy and strength of character are an inspiration and a blessing. Thank you for sharing your gift with us. It means more to me than you will ever know.
I wish you much success, love, happiness, healthy children, and a life filled with music. May your soul soar as high as you have helped mine to do, and may God bless you always.
Here I am, two full years later, dressing up at work as a David Archuleta fan for Halloween, and nearly winning the contest! I love to promote David whenever I can, and getting paid to wear my ILAA I Heart DA shirt is like some sort of sick recompense for all my pain and archusuffering. I work at a busy mall, and see a lot of people. I talk a lot, and as most of you know, shyness is not one of my finer qualities. Over the past two years, whenever I wear the shirt, I see people’s wheels turning. Sometimes the gears are grinding so hard that smokes come out, and other times I get an eye roll, a knowing smile or a blank stare. The best part is when I walk down to the food court and a whole bunch of people see me. I guess I am a rebel with a cause.
I like to take stats during these events. I’d say that most times about 50% of people know who David is and like him but don’t follow him. The other 50% have clearly been living under a rock. This time was different. And I don’t know why, what with no radio play but this Halloween, we had a costume contest at work, and I dressed up as a David Archuleta fan and people were VERY into it, squealing, laughing, and OMGing. This time, about 80-90% knew who he was. I saw the votes after they were posted at work and WOW the comments were awesome:
Awesome David fan – he rocks!
Crazy David Lady – LOL!
David A all the way
OMG so much fun we love David!
ARCHULETA!!!!! 🙂
david fan you go girl!
One lady asked me if I was dressed as a Cougar! To which I replied, “Whatever would give you that impression?” to which she laughed. (Takes one to know one lady!)
One dad shopping with his kids, when told about the ballot box, said this to me: “I don’t know what’s scarier, Halloween or a grown woman loving that boy!” OUCH! I replied, “Well sir, I had no idea that talent had age restrictions.” and he walked away. Yeah well I chewed on that for a while. Tasted like blubber, mixed with yuk.
CLEARLY this guy made some quick assumptions: David is young and therefore not to be taken seriously and I am old so why would I listen to a young singer? HMMMM has anyone ever heard of Stevie Wonder or Elvis, or countless other young gifted vocalists? WAIT! Why I am getting upset? Why must people be so ageist? This guy hasn’t read my letter and must have a closed heart. Was I going to let this ruin all the fun I was having? NO way!
I have to say it is hard being an older fan. The younger fans are creeped out. Our families and friends don’t understand. The general public assumes we are cougars. But do you see how happy I am in these pictures? Do I look conflicted or upset? I never once thought about his age the whole time on Idol. I never cared until others told me I should. But I don’t. That may be insensitive but I really don’t care.
Not caring is VERY freeing. It makes grown women dress up and show off all their loving of that boy. Loving that boy has been one of the best things I’ve ever done, and I won’t let anyone devalue that. Loving that boy has shown me that there are sweet, wonderful people in this world. Loving that boy has shown me that age is irrelevant because he is wiser, kinder, and more full of grace than 10 full-grown men ever thought they could be. Loving that boy is so beyond anything that anyone who doesn’t love that boy could even begin to comprehend.
DAVID ARCHULETA ROCKS!!!! 🙂
The Voice David Archuleta 