Transitional Song: From Davidson to Spain

What a strange time in my life this is.

Along with the rest of Davidson's Class of 2010, I am no longer a part of the Davidson student network. When I logged onto my computer tonight around 12:15, Outlook wanted my password. No go. (Thank goodness I thought to save all of the important emails from the past four years before midnight!) One such saved email came at a funny time. A few days ago, I received an accidental forward from a huge email chain I had participated in the summer between my sophomore and junior year. Reading the contact list alone was bittersweet since those names wouldn't dare be on the same email list six months later, and especially not now. Some connections weren't as long-lived as expected, to put it kindly.

Reading the actual email, which had been kept alive for over three months at the time, made me look back at Past Me...which naturally made me want to peek ahead and see Future Me.

But you can't do that, can you? As my pastor said this past Sunday (and it's painfully simple): You only have RIGHT NOW. This moment. The present. Live life in that. Even though I hate that overplayed Kris Allen song, he's giving good advice. Ancient and wise advice.

Davidson happened, and I'm already missing parts of it. Today, June 17th, I realize that emails like the Crier, party invitations, and even homework announcements no longer will clog my inbox. And I'll miss that annoying clogging. I'll probably miss deweeks@davidson.edu at times. She was usually a happy young woman who grew in confidence with every passing day (according to one beloved Dr. Mills). She had things to do and was surrounded by friends 24/7. Those who really care still call/email, but it's not like it was in the past.

But what's happening NOW? In the present?

The present is a tricky little sucker. It's not always what you planned back there in the past when you thought about the future. I vowed, for example, never to return home after college, yet, here I am, typing from my childhood bedroom. I planned on keeping in touch with some people for the rest of my life that are now no longer a part of it. I thought I might stay in Davidson after graduation. Nope. No job offers there. Instead, I'm stuck waiting everyday for a letter from Madrid that will tell me what I'll be doing with my life come mid-September. The present suddenly feels like a holding room.

It doesn't have to be, though, when there's love. So cheesy, yes, but let me have my small moment of revelation. The present is where relationships thrive...with your God, your family, significant other, friends, and especially with that stranger you just so happen to meet. The present constantly gives you the chance to give to others. You can call that person and hear their voice right now. You can push outside of your comfort zone right now. You can choose to live right now. Not too deep, right?

Feeling a little down after a not-so-active day, I made the executive decision this afternoon to take a nap. While flopping down onto my bed, I randomly turned on the radio to see if the little man inside was playing something special for me. He actually was. (This is when you See Below.) It's been stuck in my head all day. I'm sure over the next few days, this tune will drift out my car windows and join the breeze (the windows WILL be down because the AC isn't working). A wonderfully cliche, happy-go-lucky song, it encourages me not to wait until I'm watching the rain fall in Spain to live life.



If It's Love by Train

While everybody else is getting out of bed
I'm usually getting in it
I'm not in it to win it
And there's a thousand ways you can skin it

My feet have been on the floor
Flat like an idle singer
Remember winger
I digress
I confess you are the best thing in my life

But I'm afraid when I hear stories
About a husband and wife
There's no happy endings
No Henry Lee
But you are the greatest thing about me

[Chorus]
If it's love
And we decide that it's forever
No one else could do it better
If it's love
And we're two birds of a feather
Then the rest is just whenever
And if I'm addicted to loving you
And you're addicted to my love too
We can be them two birds of a feather
That flock together
Love, love
Got to have something to keep us together
Love, love
That's enough for me

Took a loan on a house I own
Can't be a queen bee without a bee throne
I wanna buy ya everything
Except cologne
'cause it's poison

We can travel to Spain where the rain falls
Mainly on the plain side and sing
'cause it is we can laugh we can sing
Have ten kids and give them everything

Hold our cell phones up in the air
And just be glad we made it here alive
On a spinning ball in the middle of space
I love you from your toes to your face

[Chorus]

You can move in
I won't ask where you've been
'cause everybody has a past
When we're older
We'll do it all over again

When everybody else is getting out of bed
I'm usually getting in it
I'm not in it to win it
I'm in it for you