My On Again-Off Again Relationship

I've had a hot and luke-warm relationship with country music. Actually, the relationship was pretty much non-existant through my teenage years. My mom listened to country music and had some favorites. The fact that mom listened, in hind sight, was probably the main reason I didn't. Anyway, to say the least I was a little familiar with some artists such as Reba and Restless Heart. I met a boy my junior year. He listened to country music. I still wasn't hooked but became a little more familiar. When he won tickets from a radio station to a Reba concert, (because I really liked this boy and wanted to go with him) I feigned extreme interest in country music and he invited me to come. Thus began a relationship with country music. It was still a mere acquaintance but we kept in touch for a few years. My second year of college, that is all that our TV was ever turned too...CMT. We watched country music video after music video ALL DAY LONG, before classes, in between classes and after classes. Kelly can vouch for me here. I am not exaggerating. If there wasn't a video on that channel, we'd switch it to GAC, another station that played country music. My roommates and I had a favorite song...Believe Me Baby, I Lied by Trisha Yearwood. Once we came to Salt Lake for a Hockey game...on the drive home we listened to that song over and over and over and over again until we knew every word perfectly. After that we would sing it everywhere...even in the shower.

It was then that our relationship grew very deep and I invested lots of money in CD's.Me, my bud Kelly, and another roommate went to Country Jam in Colorado one year. It's a three day long concert. It's like a country Woodstock.



I LOVED country music! My favorites were Reba, Collin Raye, Trisha Yearwood, Martina McBride, BlackHawk, Tim McGraw, and Faith Hill. This relationship continued richly until I met my husband who did not like country music. From there it has dwindled. Looking back I am surprised at how easily I fell out of the habit of listening to country music. I still enjoyed it when I heard it but was quickly becoming unacquainted with the new artists and soon the stations weren't playing the songs I knew. Soon I no longer had any of my presets tuned to country stations. I was now enjoying alternative music and as always (I've always been a big fan of and am not ashamed) soft rock music like FM100 and KOSY. So through no fault of his own, me and country music lost touch and became like strangers again.
Last night I ran into him again. I had been planning this reunion for a few months but I had no idea the powerful feelings that would return when we saw each other again. I went to a concert and Collin Raye was one of the artists preforming. He sang several of my old favorites like One Boy, One Girl, Little Red Rodeo, I Think About You, Love Me, That's My Story, and Little Rock. When he finished I was pining for more. It was like a time machine took me back 10 years. It's amazing how music and song can take you back to specific moments and bring back feelings you had forgotten. I remembered being 20 years old, going to school, dating, friends, and all the new experiences that come during that time of life. I was feeling very nostalgic for those days...but at the very same time I was feeling so much peace and happiness for the life I have now. My husband, my son, and all those things that have led me to where I am now. No, I didn't cry. It just made me ponder on what we've all heard before, that music is a powerful influence in our lives. Anyway, it made me want to pull out all my old CD's and start listening again. Even if it is "old" stuff. I still like it! :o)