U2

Harmony Through the Ages: My Enduring Love Affair with U2

One of my most lasting and passionate relationships with music is U2. The first time I heard the album War was on a radio in São Paulo, Brazil, back in 1983, and it was love at first song. Since that moment, my affection for U2 has never wavered—the word love perfectly encapsulates the depth of my emotions. Like any enduring relationship, my bond with the band has matured, deepened, and grown richer over time.

The defining milestone of this love affair, without a doubt, is The Joshua Tree. I was obsessed—addicted might be a more fitting word. That album didn’t just move me; it awakened something profound. For the first time, I understood the incomparable power of art to stir emotion, ignite intellect, and nourish the spirit. I grasped the depth of its lyrics—the longing for love, the raw discontent, the righteous anger, the courage to lay bare the political turbulence of the era. It resonated in a way that felt deeply personal yet universal, a mirror reflecting the quiet passions and struggles already stirring within me. Through The Joshua Tree, I came to understand why art matters—why it shapes us, why it lingers, why it becomes part of who we are.

The memory of missing the original Joshua Tree tour still lingers. I had planned to go, but floods in Washington, D.C., washed away my chance. Later, I stood before autographs proudly displayed in an Irish pub in Dupont Circle, a bittersweet reminder that I had arrived a week too late. A free performance at Radio City Music Hall in New York slipped through my fingers—back when information wasn’t at our fingertips. But over the years, I found my moments: from São Paulo to Miami, sharing the music with my family, to shedding tears of joy at the 30th-anniversary show in São Paulo. And then there was that unforgettable Bonsoir in Montreal, during my two-month stay with my eldest son, Luccas.

So many years, so many albums, so many memories—one piece alone could never contain them all. Each song, each experience, is woven into the fabric of my life. I know the ache of One and So Cruel. I still search for something unnamed, just as I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For suggests. Perhaps one day, I’ll pinpoint a zip code in the ethereal space of Where the Streets Have No Name. But for now, I let the winds of change carry all that I can’t leave behind, as I navigate life With or Without You.

And finally, to my children and husband, who have endured a lifetime of listening to this band: You’re welcome. 😊

Credits: Personal Archive and U2 Website 

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