My Son Started a Blog

My older son, who--as readers of this blog already know--has struggled a lot in his life, has started a blog. It's called A tumbleweed in a traffic jam: Thoughts, stories, and ramblings from the twisted mind of a recovering addict and I think it's going to be a good thing for him. As he said in a Facebook post last night:

"Some of my blogs are short stories. Some are poems. Some are lyrics to songs I've written that just never materialized. Little bit of everything. Eventually, I'll delve a little deeper into what happened to me and what it was like. If it helps even one person, it's worth it."

My son is a terrific writer, and I'm glad he's taken the time to create this outlet for his work. I also look forward to him eventually writing about his experiences, because I know how cathartic writing can be. Getting stuff out of his head and onto paper (or, I guess, a screen) will be liberating, I'm sure.

If you have a spare few minutes, head over to my son's blog and check it out. Maybe even consider subscribing to it via email. And if you like something you read over there, leave a comment and let my son know. I think he's a little anxious about putting himself "out there," so any validation or positive feedback he gets will definitely be reassuring for him. Lord knows, that would not be a bad thing.

I love my son so much. And I'm super proud of him.

That's Just Life

If you know me, you know I'm a huge music fan. Because of that, there are a lot of music-related things hanging on the walls of my house.

One of those things is a handwritten lyric sheet from one of my favorite folk/roots/pop singer-songwriters, Josh Rouse. It's something I got for backing his Happiness Waltz album on the PledgeMusic crowdfunding site back in 2013. For my donation, I got to choose any Josh Rouse song and have him write out the lyrics for me.

The song I chose was "Life," which was written by Josh Rouse and Daniel Tashian and appears on Josh's 2005 album Nashville. I love this song and the lyrics are words that resonate with me every time I hear them:

Life

Life is good, sometimes it's bad
It has its ups, it has its downs
Just sing a song and feel all right
Cause that's just life

If you're lost, don't be sad
There are good times to be had
Just sing a song and let love shine
Cause that's just life
That's just life
That's just life, so darling don't cry

And when your hour, it is near
And your friends they all are here
To share their love and to be kind
That's just life

Oh and when you're gone, you won't be back
I'll remember those special times we had
I'll sing this song and feel all right
Cause that's just life
That's just life
That's just life, so darling don't cry

The sheet with those lyrics written on it is hanging on the wall in my dining room, and I walk by it every single day. Lately my own life has been more than a little topsy-turvy, full of its own ups and downs. So I frequently stop to read these Josh Rouse lyrics and try to remember...

That's just life.