It’s been a year since I had one of the most magical evenings of my life.

On December 2, 2007 the Spice Girls performed their first reunion concert here in Vancouver and I was there.

The Spice Girls provided much of the soundtrack for my formative years. When I listen to their music I am reminded of intense feelings, longings and hopes I felt for the first time.

As a teen I was really excited about the prospect for a better future. I wanted to leave Nanaimo, live in the big city as an out gay man, get an education and pursue a career in journalism. There have been bumps along the way, no doubt, but I feel like I’ve accomplished most of what I set out to do.

In those days the Spice Girls were just about everywhere: on the television, the Internet, stickers, food products, toys, video games and so forth.

A decade later I would see them in a new format: in person.

Over the years I’ve hummed, sung and butchered just about every Spice Girls song but singing along with the actual artists as I looked down on them on stage was a moving experience. My teen years came back for the evening.

It brought back so many emotions, memories and thoughts I hadn’t felt in a decade. It wasn’t just the Spice Girls, I suppose, but all the memories I associated with their image and music.

The show itself was brilliant.

The most touching part , for me, was the performance of “Let Love Lead the Way”. It was released as one of their last singles as a foursome back in 2000. It’s a beautiful, sweet song about loving those who’ve gone away. On stage only four of them performed it as they were only a foursome when it was released. I always felt it was a love song, from them to Geri. When I heard it in the past it always had a bittersweet ring – reminding me of all the people I’ve loved who’ve moved on.

But at the conclusion of the song the stage went bare. A spotlight shone on the centre where Geri rose up. The rest of the group took her hands and embraced.

It was beautiful.

It got me thinking about how I need to hope again. To anticipate new feelings and ways of living.