Everything Is Different Now

Last night I was the maid of honor in my best friend's wedding. She married a man who is also a good friend of mine, and who shares with me a deep attachment to pop music. He and I used to listen to each others' mix tapes and understand exactly what was going on in each others' lives. In fact, I once made him promise that he would never translate my tapes for anyone without my permission. (Lately, however, I've made some mix tapes that even the most pop music challenged can readily comprehend.) So of course I was quite curious as to what he would choose as their wedding song. He choose "Everything Is Different Now" by Don Henley, which you really should listen to. I didn't realize until I wrote down the lyrics that it actually has a vague allusion to a wedding, but even taken out of the context of marriage, it's a beautiful and moving song. If you can possibly manage it, listen to the song.

So how does this tie into CR? You're waiting to see if I'm going to pull off another one of those "The John Cougar Mellancamp quote is actually about brewers yeast!" moves, aren't you?

No, not quite. But as I get closer to my first CR birthday, I am reflecting a lot on how much I've changed. CR has had some unexpected side effects, to be sure. Results not typical!

I have Steve to thank for many many important songs in my life, so I'll thank him for this one too:

I hate to tell you this
But I'm very, very happy
I know that's not
What you'd expect from me at all
I'm not the kind
To smile and bow out gracefully
I always wanted to take it to the wall

But I've found somebody
With a heart as big as Texas
I've found an angel
With the golden wings
She saw me down here in the dark somehow
And everything is different now

Yeah I miss the old crowd
The wild nights of running
You know a starving soul
Can't live like that for long
You go around in circles
Just keep getting smaller
Wake up one morning
And half your life is gone

I got so tired of that
I got so lonely
I dropped down and called out to heaven
Send me someone to love
Heaven shot back
You get the love that you allow
And everything is different now

She said I don't care what you do for a living
I don't care what kind of car you drive
All I want to know right now
Is what you believe in
What it means to you to be alive

And will you stand here in this fire with me?
Are you ready for another life?
I bit that bullet
I took that vow
And everything is different now.

Everything is different now.