Went to lunch with a very good friend and her fiancée’ today. We went to River City Diner in downtown Richmond. The waitress was freakin’ hilarious! She was loud and obnoxious, just like us and we joked all the way through, right up until I had to ask her for a copy of the itemized receipt. Why would I do this? Well, I think it’s self explanatory – just check out the second entry.
What a great price! And if you’re ever in town, be sure to go to River City and request Becca as your server cuz SHE ROCKS!
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So, it seems that every so many years, a song comes out that really defines my life at that exact moment. Wanted to share some of those songs and what they mean to me. Just to give you a glimpse into who I am and how I got that way!
"I Remember You" by Skid Row. Ah yes. The year: 1989."We've had our share of hard times, but that's the price we paid. And through it all we kept the promise that we made. I swear you’ll never be lonely."
My first year in college, my first REAL relationship wasn’t going so well, mostly because I was in college and, whelp, he was dumb – real dumb (and not the “bless his heart” kinda dumb either). I said goodbye to most of my high school friends as we all went our separate ways. My best friend at the time and I promising to always be friends, that no matter where life took us, we’d always remember each other. Then we’d laugh because it’s really a love song, but the chorus seemed to be written just for us. Funny but sad, we don’t even speak anymore for reasons FAR beyond my control. BUT, should she ever somehow see this: I miss you Jen. More than words can say. You just don’t know how much…
"My Next 30 Years" by Tim McGraw came out in October of 2000."My next thirty years I’m gonna settle all the scores. Cry a little less, laugh a little more. Find a world of happiness without the hate and fear. Figure out just what I’m doing here in my next thirty years"
Still a newly wed (August of 2000) I was 29, 4 months out from my 30th birthday and decided this would be a new anthem for me. It worked well for me! 6 years later, I think I’ve done a LOT of what it says in that song. Still got some things to catch up on, but hey, I’m getting there.
"With Arms Wide Open" by Creed. "If I had just one wish, only one demand - I hope he's not like me. I hope he understands that he can take his life and hold it by the hand and he can greet the world with arms wide open."
This song came out in June of 2000, so a bit of a chronological swap with “30 Years.” BUT, it wasn’t long after that when I had my first pregnancy loss, an ectopic pregnancy. I remember driving home from the doctor’s after they erroneously told me it was a miscarriage and this song came on and I cried and cried and cried. I finally got to fully enjoy the song in December of ’03 when my son was born.
"In My Daughter’s Eyes" by Martina McBride came out in 2003. This one warrants ALL the lyrics reprinted here – I’m going to change “daughter” to “baby”, the shes to hes and then you’ve got a song expressing perfectly how I feel about my son.
"In my baby’s eyes I am a hero. I am strong and wise and I know no fear. But the truth is plain to see, he was sent to rescue me. I see who I wanna be in my baby’s eyes.
In my baby’s eyes everyone is equal. Darkness turns to light and the world is at peace. This miracle God gave to me gives me strength when I am weak. I find reason to believe in my baby’s eyes.
And when he wraps his hand around my finger, oh it puts a smile in my heart. Everything becomes a little clearer. I realize what life is all about: It’s hangin’ on when your heart has had enough; It’s giving more when you feel like giving up. I’ve seen the light, it’s in my baby’s eyes.
In my baby’s eyes I can see the future – a reflection of who I am and what will be. Though he’ll grow and someday leave - maybe raise a family - When I’m gone I hope you see how happy he made me. For I’ll be there in my baby’s eyes."
"Live Like You Were Dying" by Tim McGraw. "I loved deeper and I spoke sweeter,and I gave forgiveness I’d been denying. And he said someday I hope you get the chance to live like you were dying."
Dammit Tim – quit speaking to me! In July of ’04, this song came out. This was right around the time that I was diagnosed with MS. I remember the day the doctor’s office called after my MRI, and I only heard them say one thing to me: “Lesions on your brain”. Didn’t hear the rest, that it wasn’t cancer or anything like that. I hung up, sort of in a daze, assuming the worst, that I truly was dying and this song really hit home. Even though I know that MS, in itself, is rarely fatal, it can still take a lot of the life out of me, so I want to be sure I get in all of the things that I WANT to do before I CAN’T do them.
"When I Get Where I’m Going" by Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton, good old 2006. "Yeah when I get where I'm going there'll be only happy tears. I will shed the sins and struggles I have carried all these years. And I'll leave my heart wide open, I will love and have no fear. Yeah when I get where I'm going, don't cry for me down here"
What a fantastic song. When I hear it now, I realize that it doesn’t matter what the future holds because life, here on earth, is only temporary. And I’m really not afraid of not being here anymore – I’m afraid of the journey to get to that point though.
And there is a glimpse into my soul.
Snappy Closer (feel-good ending, if you will): If you hadn’t figured it out I made links so you can see all of the lyrics to each song if you like. Again, these are LINKS, unlike the “side sausage” you can get for $1.80 at River City – those were patties.
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