Walking the Dog

Walked the dog this morning. Really, walked the dog and the kids this morning. Before we all slipped out the door I reached for my ipod. Trey spent some time yesterday putting some new songs on it. He mentioned some bands from Sweden and Canada that I just had to hear and some Amy Grant was thrown in for good measure, I mean you've gotta know who to listen to these days, right?
Dropped the kids off at school and continued down the road with the dog while I quickly put my ear buds in. What would I grace my ears with this morning...oh, come on...it had to be Amy Grant. I've known her long as anybody...better than the rest.
The first song popped on, Love of Another Kind. It was like having coffee with an old friend. I knew every lyric. I started walking to the beat. I struggled to keep the song in my head and not shout out the words with passion. "They say love is cruel, they say love is rather fragile..." I lived those words when this record came out. I wanted to start kicking my legs and pull out my leopard print jacket. I couldn't help but allow a few words to squeak out during Love will Find a Way. It was during the small explosion- "I could stand here an angry young woman, taking all this pain to heart...Love is gonna find a way...a way to go...only love can know...love will surely find a way!"
These songs were so important to me. I remember driving around with this tape on full volume singing my way through the whole record. I could tell you the song order without even thinking. I sang it everywhere I went. Yes, I went to see her in concert and yes, I thought my head was going to explode with she sang I Love You and it really looked like there was a motor cycle on stage with the squealing of the tires and the smoke. "We were pretty crazy back when we fell in love...I love you deeper than I ever dreamed of..."
Oh Amy Grant, how I wanted to be you. I can still listen to this record and enjoy every note, laugh at every word, bounce to every random reggae beat. By the time this record came out I was no longer singing solos at church or school. I had however, sang a number of her songs from older recordings, like My Father's Eyes and Angels Watching Over Me and Raining on the Inside. I'm sure there are more but I'll stop right here.
There'll never be anyone, there'll never be anyone steppin' into your shoes Amy Grant!