Shower the people you love with love – two days of rain (and James)

Days 3 and 4 in the beautiful Berkshires were July 3 and 4, and, as is my tradition, I spent them working with Team Taylor and the now-a-tradition James Taylor holiday concerts at Tanglewood.

The days were much like the ones before – filled with fun reunions, catch up sessions, and hugs. I once read that for proper serotonin levels, we need five hugs a day. I take that seriously, sometimes to the annoyance of whomever is nearby when I realize I’ve only had 4. This week has put enough hugs in the bank to last me at least through the summer.

I said last time, that people commenting on my dancing along the pathways might have been the best compliment ever. That was before a beautiful former colleague, whom I know a bit and like a lot, told me that she has a “Drohan rose” (actually a Drouhin rose) and, like me, it always appears when the weather get warmer and brings with it great joy. She said she always knows she’s going to see me soon when she starts seeing her roses and it makes her smile! (it made me cry).

A rainy July 3, was night one of JT. There’s always many friends and family in place for the concerts and we had an impromptu party in the room where press gathers that included my cousins, and various friends including Gene, our friend Joe, Hilary, the great sculptor and Tanglewood photographer, and Roberta, an organizational psychologist I worked with in a previous life and her husband, as well as some press guests for the evening and the tone was set for a light and lovely night. Later I enjoyed the concert arm in arm with my friend Stan, whom I’ve known and loved since we were college freshman. As a JT concert does for so many people, there were tears and cheers and more hugs!

This morning, July 4, I had a long brunch with a friend at the historic Red Lion Inn. Over lobster rolls and dry white wine we pondered life, love, and letting go with out coming to any solutions, but with several more lunches scheduled. Then it was back to Tanglewood for one more night of JT.

I walked the grounds before and after a torrential storm, one that would not discourage the 13,000 people sitting on the lawn for the concert. There is a green at Tanglewood, when the sun and blue sky shine through the maple leaves that only exists there and it is my absolute most favorite color an so adds to the magic of the place.

I have seen James perform north of 25 times, and yet, I find something new I love each time. This year I got a little misty as he sang Fire and Rain, thinking of a lost friend who loved a JT concert and danced happily in the aisle to Smiling Face.

After the concert, I had the special treat of bringing my last summer’s landlords backstage to meet James and his wife, Kim. They’re no ordinary landlords, of course, Brian Cox is known for many things, but most recently and significantly for his role as the patriarch in Succession. Nicole Cox is an amazing actress and feminist activist.

Every once in a while I’ve been lucky enough to introduce two heroes to each other- I’ve introduced Buzz Aldrin to Deval Patrick, John Williams to Carl Yastrzemski, Marin Alsop to the legendary editor Marty Baron, and Ted Kennedy to so many musicians – it’s always a heady thing. But when I brought Brian Cox in to meet James Taylor, he said in the most Logan Roy way imaginable, “I’ve been waiting 50 years to see a James Taylor concert and it was FUCKING worth it!” and I dissolved into a thousand pieces on the floor.

After lots of mutual admiration and joyful getting to know each other, we walked into the night under the full moon planning future dinners, coffees, and theater breaks. My final hug of the night was long and sincere and from Brian Cox and I felt showered with love.