Mix Tape (Ok, CD)

Last weekend, I met up for lunch with my girlfriend Rachel. Sans kids. It was so nice - refreshing. We don't get to see each other much so when we do, I savor it. We've been close friends since we were both duped into playing the baritone horn in junior high band. Seriously, we must have both been pretty stupid. Because I really don't know how you get convinced that playing a miniature tuba is cool.

At the end of lunch, she pulled a mix cd out of her purse - that our other friend, Megan, had made me for Christmas. Megan lives in San Diego, and I wasn't able to meet up with her when she was up over the holidays. I instantly knew I would love it - she has great taste in music, and always has introduced me to new stuff. Okay, new to me.

I was listening to the compilation on the way home, and these lyrics jumped out at me:

Don't push so hard against the world.
You can't do it all alone
and if you could, would you really want to?
Even though you're a big strong girl,
come on, come on, lay it down,
the best made plans,
come on, come on, lay it down,
are your open hands.

[From Deb Talan's Big Strong Girl]

I don't get all sappy about music very often, but damn. Megan knows me really well. So well, in fact, that she knew that three months from when she made that cd, I'd need to hear that song. That exact song.

I am really bad at taking on too much. Internalizing too much. Feeling overwhelmed. Taking things personally. Getting wrapped up into impossible situations that I can't, no matter how hard I try, fix.

You know when a song makes you cry, well, maybe something. somebody, is trying to tell you something.

And you'd best listen.