The soundtrack of my adolescent years and “Glory Days” in New York City and college years at Georgetown University consisted of many of the lost bands and musicians from the 1980’s – some who are still out there on the road touring and some of whom fell to the lost annals of one hit wonder history. The two who have remained at the top of my own personal soundtrack, also remain at the top of the list of musicians who have transcended time and generations with their classics from those days, as well as new music to do what music does best: bridge us together as one. Those musicians are Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and Bono and U2, with both bands taking a page out of the 80’s chronicles by commemorating two of their best-known albums The River and The Joshua Tree with tours around the world in 2016 & 2017. I was lucky enough to see The River show eight times in 2016, and am lucky enough to be seeing U2 this week at MetLife Stadium, while also seeing them at the Garden in 2015.

I recently played the video of Bruce and Bono singing “I Still Haven’t Found What I am Looking For” from the 25^th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden. Because he interprets everything quite literally, he asked me at the end “What are they looking for”? While I was taken aback by the question at first, it made me think further about the song’s meaning and “what indeed are they – and what is it that everyone – is looking for?” The song’s undertones and overtones are quite literally about God and Jesus Christ bearing the cross of humanity’s greatness and our sins. It also is quite literally about a human being’s quest for his/her own life’s meaning and ultimate salvation, as well as the ongoing journey of life. While the yearning and searching evolves throughout the journey, the process of self-discovery and faith throughout the climbing mountains, running through fields, crawling and scaling city walls is indeed what makes it so hopeful. Despite still looking for God and meaning at the song’s end, the more I have heard it over the years and every time I hear it, I discover something new and different about myself, about my life, about God, and about humanity.

While I haven’t found the exact meaning of life, my life, the universe, and of God yet, my life’s course recently has taken me on a path that is finally helping me to find what I am looking for, and much of that has to do with music in general, but specifically the music of Bruce Springsteen and U2. The two seminal Springsteen albums of my adolescence and college years are Born in the USA and Tunnel of Love. That said, since then, my repertoire has expanded to include every single Springsteen album and song he ever wrote and performed, and most certainly now also includes the River as one of his greatest. The one seminal album of U2 however, most certainly was and still is, The Joshua Tree. That album captured my college years and my life’s journey more perfectly than any album ever, making the melodies create memories that live on to this day through that music.

Since then, I have also come to truly admire Bono and his uncanny ability – just like Bruce – to bring the power of spirituality and the power of transcending boundaries into a stadium and outside a stadium, through music, words, storytelling, humility, philanthropy, and by being the humanitarian souls that they are While I am still finding what I am looking for, I have recently found solace through bridges, literally and figuratively. Tom Hanks’ portrayal of my grandfather James B. Donovan in Spielberg’s Bridge of Spies resurrected the power of a bridge to cross boundaries and transcend them – culturally, religiously, politically, socially, and generationally. Despite differences in religion, class, gender, ethnicity, political party, and age, we are all one. It is more important to at least try to cross that bridge, as one never knows what lies on the other side – at least by meeting in the middle, if not completely going over the edge. Exploring, discovering, talking, reaching out, and finding a way to meet someone in the middle and listening, without pre-conceived opinions and judgment, and listening rather than talking, is where the source of real change burns, ignites, and bleeds into one positive place to help everyone find what they are really looking for.
Thanks to Bruce & E Street, Bono and U2 for helping me to find what I am looking for. I may still be looking, just like everyone else. But since 1985, I have been finding it, and most recently, am much, much farther along. But you have made the path so much more inspiring, joyful, and impactful along the way. Hopefully we will meet on that bridge some day – as Bruce says, somewhere “on down the road”, “in the Kingdom of Days”, and as U2 says “Where the Streets have no Name.” Until then…..I am – and always will be listening, never retreating, never surrendering, with and without you, though with you is always my very first choice.  Can’t wait to cross over to the Jersey side this week, as I always find what I am looking for in a show at MetLife Stadium with Bruce or U2!

I have climbed the highest mountains
I have run through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you

I have run I have crawled
I have scaled these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for

I have kissed honey lips
Felt the healing in the fingertips
It burned like fire
This burning desire
I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was one empty night
I was cold as a stone
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for

I believe when the Kingdom comes
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
But yes I’m still running.
You broke the bonds
You loosened the chains
You carried the cross
Of my shame
Of my shame
You know I believed it
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for

But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for
But I still haven’t found
What I’m looking for