The Song That Changed Everything - #tbt

Monday night at Bible study, Ashland asked if any of us had the Timehop app, to which I replied,

"I AM the Timehop app."

For whatever reason, the Lord has given me the ability/weirdness of remembering things and dates really well. I love numbers, but I hate math. I love making connections with time and dates and rituals and celebrating random things and apparently right now I love run-on sentences and just spilling words out and hoping they make sense.

WITH ALL THAT SAID, today is my own personal, self-made "Rascal Flatts Day." Let me explain.

In February of 2006 (NINE YEARS AGO - MIND COMPLETELY BLOWN), on the fifth day of the month, my mom and I went to Target because I wanted the Rascal Flatts "Feels Like Today" album. I wanted it for one song. The only reason I knew this song is because I had been watching American Idol and someone had used this song for their audition. The song was "Bless the Broken Road." I was not a fan of country music at the time. I grew up on country music because of my dad, but I stopped listening to country music in early middle school when people like Britney, Backstreet Boys, Aaron Carter, and Jessica Simpson came on the scene. I also LOVED Celine Dion, Clay Aiken, and Stevie Wonder (still love them all!).

Anyway, we went to Target to get the CD. Later that night, I had to pick my brother up from watching the Super Bowl with his friend Taylor. I think the Seahawks were playing the Steelers, but don't quote me. I could Google it but I don't feel like it right now! I was listening to my new Rascal Flatts CD, already falling deeply in love with the music and everything about it, from song number one - "Where You Are." It was all so fresh and catchy - not like the country I grew up on, but enough like it to make me feel comfortable. But new and fresh enough to give me a sense of life that I hadn't yet had before. It was weird. 

Songs 1-4 were great. But song #5.......... Song #5 completely changed me and I've never been the same. Not because the lyrics were insanely profound or touching. They are sweet, yes. They are adventurous and fresh, yes. But song #5 officially opened the doors to a whole new world of country music for me. After listening to song #5 on repeat, on the way to pick up my brother, on our way back home, when I was at home that night,... it was like I'd been enlightened. I went to school the next day with it in my head. We had just started a new semester. I was in the 11th grade English class at Southwest Guilford that eventually led to my decision to be an English teacher myself. I had just gotten my braces off. I had starting forming some new friendships and strengthening established ones. It was a wonderful time in my life. When I think about song #5, I think about this time in my life. This pivotal, happy, memorable, amazing time in my life.

I cannot believe it's been NINE years... that makes me feel SO old.

It's so weird because I still look 17...

And nine years doesn't feel like nine years.

Not a day over Fast Cars and Freedom. :)

eBa