Like Gravy on a Biscuit

"Memories come flooding in as I reflect on my times at Paisley Park. Like markers along the road each brings me back to the times and places in which I found myself. For over 20 years it was the spot to be. In many ways I grew up there. I was a boy of 18 when I first walked through its doors, with little understanding of the world around me. I found myself drawn to this man. Mesmerized by his presence, I did not understand the notes that were being played but knew enough to know that I had entered into something special. That he was someone different and that different was cool. I wanted more, and more is what he gave me.

Year after year the stories accumulated and the impact grew. While we didn't always see eye to eye I knew our stories would forever be connected. From his stage he was not only the band leader, entertainer and host, he was the teacher. Breaking down not just the rhythms but the world around us.

He introduced me to so much and so many. Like gravy on a biscuit his work soaked into the crevasses of my being and changed me. I now clearly see that I would not be me if he had not been him, and for that I am grateful.

Along the way I have learned that Paisley Park is more than a building, and that the promise of community and love is not dependent upon the physical space in which we dwell but rather the spirit in which we walk. As I move forward in this life, his life challenges me to embrace fully who God has called me to be for these are still the Days of Wild and I am, and will forever be, a member of the New Power Generation."

Mark Bonde
Minneapolis, MN