Kenny Chesney definitely had it right, there are songs that have the innate ability to to take us back, through our memories, to past times and places. I was reminded of this recently, when I came upon the music video for “Best of Me” by the Starting Line on YouTube. Somehow, that song struck the right chord in my brain, and so I began to reminisce. In doing so, I went back to Kenny’s song, and decided to make some changes.Maybe I will post a video of my official “cover” later.
”The Rock Show” painted a picture of my life at that time
A young kid looking for all the good times I could find
I heard it today and couldn’t help but sing along
‘Cause every time I hear that song…I go back to the floor of that Hangout spot
Stayin’ out too late, trying not to get caught
Livin’ life, just trying to fit in
And I go back to the halls of that old high school
Pushing on and just trying to stay cool
Wishing time would pass, “world here I come”
Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go back“Greg’s Last Day” told the story as I packed up the car
Gonna start a new life in a city nice and far
I heard it today and I couldn’t help but sing along
‘Cause every time I hear that song…I go back to the hope, the laughs and thrills
The speed and snow on that black diamond hill
And graduation, saying farewell to friends
I go back to the Point in the summer sun
Growin’ up to fast, now that it’s done
Wishin’ time would stop right in its tracks
Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go backWe all have a song that’s somehow stamped our lives,
Takes us to another place and timeSo I go back to the loss of some real good friends,
The short time on Earth I spent with them,
And even those I didn’t know so well
And I go back to the day when I got that news,
The war I’d fight and wouldn’t lose,
Now “I Run for Life” stops me in my tracks
Every time I hear that song, I go back, I go backTo the halls of that old high school,
Pushing on, just trying to stay cool, I go backTo the Point in the summer sun
Gowin’ up to fast, now that it’s done, I go backTo the day when I got that news,
The war I’d fight and wouldn’t lose, I go back
In some sense, life was so much easier back then (and I use that term loosely), and yet back then is when I (and probably most of my friends) wanted time to fly–screw high school, college will be way more fun, right? Maybe, maybe not. If nothing else, I certainly have greater appreciation for the time I spent in high school: going to shows at the Hangout and Forward Hall, lifting with Mike Ghamo, going to Eat’n'Park or Perkins at 1am with a huge group of people I don’t even know, going to Peek’n Peak every Thursday during the winter and hanging at the sugar shack, learning to ski and then challenging myself at three of the best ski resorts in Vermont, dealing with diseases and deaths, finding myself, learning to fly, hanging out with some of the greatest friends I’ve ever known.
And that’s just to start. Am I really going to be able to say I did as much in my four (or more…) years in college? I hope so, but even if I do, they will be different experiences, with different value, and of course, different songs.
I guess above all, I’ve learned so far to live for today, because none of us is above our fate, and there might not be a tomorrow. Too many people in my life had to find that out the hard way; I was almost one of them. But thanks to a well-timed visit to the doctor, I soldier on.
To borrow the ever-popular tagline from the musical “Rent,”
No day but today.