Adding soundtracks to our lives

I walked into work today with a fellow employee and, knowing he had two small children, asked after the family.  His children are small, 3 and 1.  He talked about the challenges of two small kids running around the house, throw in a dog, throw in a busy work schedule.  I smiled, remembering my own house at that point of my life and now that I'm empty nesting, I have a different view of that particular brand of mayhem.

My daughter has become a fan of country music.  As a result, during the summer months I saw many country music videos and one day, one of them caught my attention.  Trace Adkins, singing "You're Gonna Miss This."  It's one of those sentimental pieces that tugs at your heart and has become one of my favorites.  As I listened to JayZee talking about his family, this is what prompted my smile, and I told him so.  I asked if he was familiar with the song and he seemed to be aware of it, if not familiar with it.  And I told him (wise old woman that I am - HAH!) You're Gonna Miss This. 

Originally the song struck me in that my daughter is moving fast forward into her future.  She's a smart girl and has a lot of common sense.  Sometimes life shows you dreams of what might be and you leap toward them.  You have two options when this happens.  Take that leap and 1.  Find out you've found the frying pan or 2.  Find out you've found the fire.  For each of us, these are learning experiences - life experiences.  That's why the song touches me - it reminds you to enjoy today for what it is, because once you take that leap from today, its gone and you have to readjust to the heat you find you've leapt into.

Music has always added a soundtrack to my life, as with many people.  You can remember exactly where you were and what you were doing when you hear a song on the radio.  There's a song that puts me in my car, driving to work, 9 months pregnant every time I hear it.  There's a song that puts me in a "lay by" in England at 3:00 in the morning, trying not to fall asleep and yet soaking up the *perfection* of the moment.  There's a song that will forever be the reason I'm in the job I'm in now - and so many people have been able to apply it to so many different situations in their lives (the chorus is . . ."It Feels Like Chaos/But Somehow There's Peace").

So while I continue to adjust to my empty nest (and yes, I'm adjusting just fine), this Trace Adkins is the song that sticks with me now.  The chorus is more true now than ever.  I miss it.  I'm so proud of my kids and the adults that they have become/are becoming, but in my eyes, they'll always be adorable little cherubs, full of smiles.

One parting thought for balance (since this post is so sappy).  I have an English friend.  One Christmas, she asked me about the holiday Stateside and, being the Christmas crazy that I am, I gave her my sappy, sentimental view.  She laughed at me - not expecting to hear such "drivel."  Yes, folks, I try not to take myself too seriously, but authors?  they have to be dreamers to weave the spells that they do.  I've always said that artists of any sort have to be at least slightly eccentric.  I guess sentimentality is my eccentricity.

Wait - is that Brigadoon rising out of the mist?  Just WAIT until I post about Vortexes! (or is that vortices?)