David, David, David… Yes, he’s amazing, freakishly talented, über-adorkable. But, what I want to figure out is, how has he created this remarkable community of new old friends just by singing a few nice songs?

On Monday, I pondered this riddle over the 14 hours it took me to get home to Toronto from Salt Lake City.

I spent three days there and I still feel hung over, partly from the blinding beauty of the mountains — which are so close they smack you in the face with their majesty every time you turn around — and partly from the magnificence of the concert itself. To describe it, I’d need to resort to Klingon, however, because all English words fail me.

But most of all, I’m still a little too not over all the incredible fans I met and talked at length with. This is a phenomenon we’re part of folks, and it’s truly remarkable.

To start things off, on Friday and Saturday, Refnaf and I were thrilled to be able to meet up with amazing justDaviders Awestruck, SandyBeaches, (and their husbands), Sweetonda (who kindly drove by Murray High!), SilverFox, and their lovely sisters, Knotliser, Peru, Mike, davidfanLIZ, Vermeer, as well as fans from all the other sites.

The concert itself? A dream. A beautiful dream. The moment that will stay with me forever is the vision of David bounding onto the stage, smile as big as all Utah. For TMH he practically bounced out of his shoes with excitement. So did I. And that was just the first five minutes.

One of the surreal ArchuMoments of the trip was realizing that many months ago I watched a YouTube of a silver-haired lady driving around a parking lot blasting Crush. Now, here I was sitting right beside SilverFox, my now e-friend, at a David Archuleta concert … doing the wave.

Each David concert has brought more wonderful strangers-I-feel-I’ve-known-forever friends into my life. And this trip was no exception. In fact, it felt more like a family reunion — one where everyone gets along.

Especially Saturday night — it was … sorry, might have to resort to Klingon again.

That night, Refnaf and I were fortunate to be included in a gathering of 30 or so fans from several sites at ThisIsYourMotherSpeaking’s house. At one point, Karin from SnarkyArchies suggested that, for fun, we go around the room and, one by one, each person share their favourite “David moment.”

These ranged from hilariously funny “meeting David” stories, complete with reenactments, to incredibly moving examples of how David’s music had turned lives around for the better. It was one of the most profound shared experiences I’ve ever been a part of. I’ll never forget it.

After we left, it started to sink in that, for me, this whole tour has gone beyond hearing David sing live, as wonderful as that is. Hearing the impact his music has had on so many people and feeling the powerful connection with so many virtual strangers, I began to appreciate why this is happening.

David’s music may be brilliant and beautiful but like all great art, it also stands for something. He stands for something — hope, truth, honesty, but most of all love, pure love.

That’s what draws us in, connects us together and keep us there, song after song. What a powerful force for good in the world.

I flew home knowing deep in my heart that I need to honour that. And I will.

— TOfan