Tributes to The Rev

Feb 9, 2014 - A Light From Our St James

I was walking down the street from the underground station to my house. It was already dark and the cold wind blew soft snowflakes into my face. I raised my shoulders to cuddle into my scarf; my hands buried deep in the pockets of my coat.

I was tired from another long day of a horrible week. The only highlight were the past 5 hours that I had spent with building up a solid foundation to get ready and live my dream. I am about to make my hobby my job. Just like my idols. Just like him.

The rough voice singing of a king sent shivers down my spine. The beat and rhythmic strumming of the guitars floated through my ears into my system, warming me from the inside.

But as I walked down the lonely street with a few flickering street lamps on the other side from where I was and with the icy wind burning my cheeks I felt my heart grow heavy in my chest.

It’s been weeks since I got back to Germany but somehow I couldn’t shake the feeling that a huge part of me stayed in California. Especially my heart. It still feels like I am just an empty shell, only existing instead of living. To this day I miss the sun, the people I have met, my best friend and … the sea.

My thoughts wandered back to my last few days over there, of which one was burned into my memory for all eternity. I could close my eyes and see the waves hitting the beach, smell the salty air, feel the cool breeze on my from the sun heated cheeks. I could feel the grass beneath my hands as I knelt in front of a grey stone plate with a name on it. A name a lot of people wouldn’t forget for the rest of their lives.

The name of a sinner. The name of a saint.

Right then, as I turned around the last corner, the voice that I grew to love over the past year started to chant. The corners of my mouth pulled my lips into a soft smile and my eyes looked up into the dark night sky, blinking when a small glittering snowflake sank down on my eyelashes.

This is the story of a man,

Who conquered life drink in hand

Ship unmanned.

Marked by genius, channeled good, 

By some a bit misunderstood.

They'd been wrong many times before.

I wished that I would have had the chance to know this man. Only knowing him from the countless of youtube-videos and interviews I know he must have been one of the most inspiring and caring persons that ever walked this earth. Not just because I’m a fan of his band but because I truly believe it when I hear him talk and laugh, I know that he was so genuine and full of love for just anybody. No matter who it was, where they came from, he just loved them unconditionally.

Sometimes our saints are sinners.

They blur the lines and lead the way,

Their Way.

Raise hell and a glass in reverence,

The fearless lives of our great saints - our saints.

I got to know what it means to believe when I was in Los Angeles; to have faith and trust in someone or something so much bigger than our minds could ever embrace. It gave me hope that one day I will be able to meet him for real. Because I believe with all my heart that he is in heaven. He has to be. Although he must have done a lot of things that are considered sins. I’m pretty sure he was a sinner but he cared for his family and friends, his brothers and sisters, his fans. He was and still is the perfect example for a person so blessed that no matter what he did, good or bad, everyone admired him, loved him, supported him. And he returned it.