I had really planned to save this song for the last night of Garth’s run in Minneapolis—but then this happened…
The Target Center Filled With Tears
The right words can carry a lot of meaning. Put them with a melody and they have the power to change lives. Something happened on the night of November 7th during Garth Brooks’ late show inside the Target Center—something that will forever change the meaning of a song—and just maybe restore some faith in humanity. As Brooks sang “The Dance,” on the jumbotron above him appeared a sign that read “Chemo This Morning. Garth Tonight. Enjoying The Dance.” The crowd went from singing along to a roar of cheers for the woman holding the sign. As the crowd watched, it became obvious that Garth himself had seen the sign. The cameras followed the lady as she made her way closer to the stage. Suddenly, Garth sat down on the stage, took the sign, and gave his guitar to the woman. The music was still playing, the crowd still fully engaged, but instead of everyone singing, we all watched this moment as it unfolded. This moment of seeing the song that has meant so much for so many, and now seeing the artist with a person who was living out the very meaning of the song…it was mesmerizing. Then Garth got up with the sign and told the crowd that sometimes he wishes God would stick out his hand and say “I exist,” then in a tearing voice Garth said “Tonight God just stuck his hand out and wrote ‘I exist,” then looking at the woman, he said “You have all my strength, you have everybody’s strength in here and you go kick cancer’s ass!” What a moment! Tears were streaming, I had goosebumps and I felt so blessed to see this happen–I was so caught up in the moment I didn’t even fully notice how others around me were reacting. It was a real reminder to me of how fragile life is and that all the things we complain about—the traffic, the line to get into the stadium, the cold weather—do they really matter? Life is what matters. Living out your dreams, holding your family close, having your health and the strength to get up and do what you want each day—that’s what matters. I left the stadium that night with tear-stained cheeks, but a renewed sense of appreciating that very moment and cherishing the good moments in life—because it can all change in an instant.
The next morning on Facebook, I’d find out this special lady in the crowd is Teresa Shaw of Osage, Iowa. She’s a co-worker of one of my dearest college friends. My friend had shared Ms. Shaw’s daughter’s video of the whole thing happening. What a beautiful scene to capture, and what a memory for all of the 18,000 fans in attendance that night. Teresa is in my prayers and I wish her all the strength she needs to kick the cancer and live a long and beautiful life.
I’m truly thankful for Teresa’s sign and Garth’s reaction. It gave me a reality check about the fragility of life and Garth gave me yet another reason to love him and his music. He’s real, and the songs he sings…they mean as much to him as they do to the fans.

Going into that show on Friday night, “The Dance” was the song I’d played on repeat at least 30 times the day I lost my Grandpa. It was a go-to song for me that it’s better to have loved and lost than to have missed “The Dance”…but now, thanks to Teresa Shaw and her sign, the song means even more.