Living my own country music song...

There's nothing I can appreciate more than a little country twang.  I feel in love with country music during middle school when my principal Mr. Oliver passed away suddenly from cancer.  The most interesting thing about Mr. Oliver's death is that no one, not even his own family knew he was sick.  We gathered the day after his death to honor his memory and to contemplate why he never wanted to tell anyone the fate he knew all along.  The song that was chosen was a classic which remains to be one of my favorite songs of all time "The Dance" by Garth Brooks.

When I listened to it for the first time, I heard the melodic rhythm coupled with Garth Brook's voice, which last time I checked wasn't too hard on the ears.  The song helped to offer three minutes of peace to an overall uncomfortable situation.  Mr. Oliver was one of the first people aside from family that I can actually remember passing.  As the years have went on, I have found this song comforting during times of uncertainty, sadness and sorrow so much so, I even started to listen to the lyrics.

The message of this song goes much deeper than just addressing losing someone you love. It talks about the gift of having them as part of your life without the pretense of knowing that they were leaving because this knowledge would be alter the beauty of your relationship.  Although for my sixth grade mind, this was well beyond my comprehension.

I didn't know how much solace "The Dance" would be able to provide to me in the face of my own losses.  This year has been far from a cake walk and in a way, I think I could write my own country song.  I have had to part with my personal items, jobs falling through, my grandfather leaving this earth and my good friend Shira passing at age 31.  Through all of this, I keep on trying to make sense of it all.  I have been asking myself and God for that matter, how this could happen?

I don't know the answer and at this point, I am slowly becoming okay with that.  However, what I do know is the memories that I shared have now become the blessing that lives on with me.  Thank you to all who have been reaching out to me lately.