Songs that speak to me

Songs that speak to me

Every once in awhile I hear a song that really speaks to me. Recently I was flipping stations and landed on WAMZ country station and I heard the words, “I believe most people are good.”

This grabbed my attention enough that I knew I wanted to hear more. I thought it was Luke Bryan singing so when I got to a computer, I looked it up and listened to the entire song. I was in love. What a poignant song. I feel like I could have written it…if I had any musical talent for writing music or lyrics.

I have always been an optimistic person thanks to my dad who instilled that in me at an early age. I know there is a lot of bad in the world but like the song says, I believe most people are good.

It starts out with “I believe kids oughta stay kids as long as they can, turn off the screen, go climb a tree, get dirt on their hands.” I admire parents who encourage their kids to go outside and explore the world around them. I wish I had done this more with my kids. It would have benefited all of us.

The next line made me grateful for all the wonderful friends, lifelong friends that I have gained throughout my lifetime. It says, “I believe we gotta forgive and make amends, cause nobody gets a second chance to make new old friends.”

My oldest friend I gained in third grade. Over the years, we have drifted in and out of each other’s lives, mostly because we were separated by miles. But our true friendship never left our hearts and now she is back in Indiana and our bond has been reestablished. And I could not be happier to have Kelly back in my life.

I also have high school friends that I consider dear to me and as the years go on, they get more precious. My friend Jennifer has also befriended my kids, as she was their counselor in high school. She has been my rock during hard times in my life.

(This is really hard to write as tears fall down my cheeks. I am so blessed, blessed beyond measure.)

When I think back to high school, I also think of my friend, Kim. The wonderful thing about our friendship is that it has deepened over the years and I rely on her for numerous things. Our friendship is not just based on how many cake scraps she sends to my house or the number of special cakes she has made for me but also for her reaching out to my kids. She patiently helped Paige through 10 years of cake decorating and is Bailey’s go to person when he needs blood taken.

There are many other “old friends” that I have gained during my 50+ years on this earth. My margarita girls make me laugh, pray for me and with me, and are always there when I need them. My “date night/couple friends” also make me laugh a lot and they support me through almost everything I throw at them. These ladies are the sisters I never had and they mean the world to me.

“I believe in working hard for what you’ve got, even if it don’t add up to a hell of a lot.” This line really resonates with me, mostly due to the state of the current work force. My parents worked hard, hardly ever missed work and from this example, I mirror this work ethic. I feel like my children have also adopted this plan.

Paige, especially, continues to show me what a good worker she is. It started with her getting a job at 16 to pay for her car and it continues today as she is living on her own and continues to be rewarded from her employer for her good work. She’s responsible and pays her bills before enjoying the extras. She probably doesn’t know it but sometimes she has been a role model for me.

The chorus of the song starts with, “I believe most people are good, and most mama’s oughta qualify for sainthood.” This is, of course something I believe because I am a mama. But seriously I have been blessed to be mentored by women who definitely qualify. Sudie, Carmalita, Marilyn, Carolyn and Ann are names that come to mind immediately but there are many more strong women who have crossed my path. I would not be half of the woman I am without their influence.

“I believe most Friday nights look better under neon or stadium lights,” is the next line in the chorus. This makes me think of fellow Salem Lion, Jamie Richardson. During football season, especially, if he is not under Friday night lights I think he probably breaks out in hives. I know of other “super fans” who also fit this bill but Mr. SHS immediately came to my mind.

Without being overly emotional the next line also sums up my life, “I believe you love who you love, ain’t nothing you should ever be ashamed of.” Duane and I found each other while in high school, I was 16, he was 15 and we went through many ups and downs before finally deciding we would spend the rest of our lives together. 29 years and counting!

The ending lines of the chorus end like this, “I believe this world ain’t half as bad as it looks, I believe most people are good.” I really do want to believe this and my friend and co-worker, Monika, is often posting positive quotations to her Facebook page that encourage me to keep on believing. I hope that a positive attitude can encourage a positive attitude. There is a commercial on TV that echoes that sentiment; if someone sees you doing something positive, it will encourage that person to do something good and so on.

The next verse examines Heaven, “I believe that streets of gold are worth the work, but I still wanna go even if they were paved in dirt.” Having the belief in Heaven and our Heavenly Father has gotten me through many rough days and it makes me thankful for wonderful days. It is comforting to know that someday I will be reunited with loved ones that have went before me and it makes me think of another song, “I can only imagine.”

“I believe that youth is spent well on the young, ‘cause wisdom in your teens would be a lot less fun,” is the next verse. This also makes me nostalgic, thinking back on my teenage years and how it was mostly carefree, with lots of fun, and little responsibility, I agree that too much wisdom at that age would limit the learning experiences.

Even though I work for a newspaper, I do believe the next line, “I believe if you just go by the nightly news, your faith in all mankind would be the first thing you lose.” So much of the nightly news and CNN sensationalize the bad in the world. The benefit of working for a newspaper in a small town is that there is more good, upbeat coverage of student activities, neighbors’ good deeds, and people who make a difference that balances out the bad that goes on.

The ending sums up how I feel about life, too. It says, “I believe that days go slow and years go fast, and every breath’s a gift, the first one to the last.” As I age, the years do fly by. My kids have grown, graduated high school, Paige is about to be married, my dad has left this earth when I thought he was invincible and I have passed the age of 50. How did all of that happen in such a short time?

I do consider myself blessed from first breath to the last. I intend to make the best out of every situation that I can and I will continue to live in my Pollyanna world until someone convinces me otherwise.

During my lifetime, there have been songs that define certain times in my life like “Jack and Diane,” high school, “Heaven” by Bryan Adams, marriage to Duane and “Dance Like Nobody is Watching,” my hopes for Paige and Bailey as they were growing into being their own person. And this song, “Most People are Good” is definitely going to join that list.

Most People Are Good song lyrics

I believe kids oughta stay kids as long as they can

Turn off the screen, go climb a tree, get dirt on their hands

I believe we gotta forgive and make amends

Cause nobody gets a second chance to make new old friends

I believe in working hard for what you’ve got

Even if it don’t add up to a hell of a lot

I believe most people are good

And most mamas oughta qualify for sainthood

I believe most Friday nights look better under neon or stadium lights

I believe you love who you love

Ain’t nothing you should ever be ashamed of

I believe this world ain’t half as bad as it looks

I believe most people are good

I believe that streets of gold are worth the work

But I still wanna go even if they were paved in dirt

I believe that youth is spent well on the young

‘Cause wisdom in your teens would be a lot less fun

I believe if you just go by the nightly news

Your faith in all mankind would be the first thing you lose

I believe that days go slow and years go fast

And every breath’s a gift, the first one to the last