Dearest Tori,

I wanted to let you know the great impact you have had on my life. I just saw you during this last tour at D.A.R. Constitution Hall in Washington D.C. I was waiting to meet you after the show in the rain and I got to speak to you and get a picture with you. I had long blond hair in a ponytail and red glasses. You had on your light blue hat. I was in line with 4 others waiting as soon as you came out. Several others were behind us too. I also told you how I had taken my son to see your show in 2005 at Pier 6 in Baltimore. I had wanted to tell you so much but I was so happy to see you I became speechless.
I started listening to you in 1993 and at sixteen became pregnant with my son Nathanael. In 1994 I saw you for the first time in concert. I was 8 months pregnant (Nate was born 8/25/94). I was so moved by your live performance. The chills I got while listening to you play and sing where unmatchable. I would put headphones of you up to my stomach to allow my baby Nathanael to hear you. He has grown up with you. In 2005 when I took him to see you he was eleven years old.
You were who I listened to throughout all the hardships in my life, and the great times too. I was living with my parents at sixteen and they are devoting Catholics who told me god might forgive me since I was not getting an abortion and I had the baby out of wed lock. How loving right. Anyway I was over 5 months when I told them, I tried sooner but it would not come out. Life was the hardest then. I also suffer from Bi-Polar or Manic Depression which has landed me in the hospital many times. When I had no one to turn to or understand your music was therapy. You are a modern day Shaman and I am so grateful to you for that. You pull down the spirits and medicine through your music. Your devotion to your musical talents has saved so many of us just looking for truth in this ugly world. I have introduced you too the women in my family and can't wait for them to see your life changing concerts, some of them have and are hooked too. If there is anything I can do for you please let me know. I do not think I could have gotten through life this far without you. I could run to you when my crazy Catholic parents were damning me and all other non Catholics to hell. I could run to you and cry with your music when in the depths of depression. I could run to you when boys would be boys and lovers where looking only for my charms. I could run to you when people all around were planted here on earth only, and not interested in anything else. I read allot of non fiction and it is nice to hear you do too. I am always looking for new archetypes and such and I just read Piece by Piece and now I have a lot more reading to do which is great. It is always nice to find others in your same orbit around the universe. So as I said if there is anything I can do for the world, you or whoever you want please let me know. I am eternally in your debt. May you find an influence in your life as positively profound as I have as you are to me.. Oh, and I wrote you a poem in 1997 during the Boys for Pele concert and left it in the Belvedere Hotel in Baltimore when I was waiting to get in to see your show. I will write some more and post them here if you read this. And this year’s show was one of the best ever. Actually I think my favorite ever was one I saw in D.C. in the late 90's and someone handed you a letter and said there friend had just committed suicide and you dedicated Marianne to her and you played many sad songs. Including, Somewhere Over the Rainbow, and everyone I was with cried there eyes out, even the men. It was very healing, and I thank you for that. Congrats on being a mommy, I know you are a good one. I am glad to hear too that your mom supports you so. She will grow into a even more beautiful person with you by her side. I would love to hear from you anytime so my email address is reneen007@hotmail.com Much love and peace. Renee K. B__r