Music Monday Theme: Lookin' Back with Brad Paisley's "Letter to Me"

Down at our beach house in Bay Head, NJ, this past week, I overheard a tearful argument between a neighbor and her fifteen-year-old son. I'm thankful that I still have many years of what Rex calls "the great run from five to twelve" before my girls reach their teenage years. The emotion and sympathy for my neighbors' (both mother and son) experience, combined with my nostalgia over creating slide shows out of only the past four months of London and Maddie's photos, inspired this week's Music Monday theme, here at Roxiticus Desperate Housewives and over on Roxy's Bay Head Blog: "Looking Back," specifically to the teenage years.

Although the official Brad Paisley music video on YouTube had embedding disabled by request, I found the following "Letter to Me" video, created by a fan, to be even better. Even though I get all teary-eyed from the song about a letter to the singer's 17-year-old self, if I could write a letter to myself at any age, it would probably be to my 25-year-old self to hang in there through the years of solitude and bad dates, to let me know that Rex and London and Maddie were in my future.

No matter whether I wrote to my teenage self or my 25-year-old self, there are a few things I wish I could tell my younger self that would prevent so much heartache in the past. Not counter to the message of "The Dance," in which "I could have missed the pain, but I'd have had to miss the dance." But I think of all the times I cried over (or worse, in front of) a man or a boy, and how damaging it was... to myself (and self-esteem and productivity) and to the relationship. If only I could prevent my daughters from crying even some fraction of those tears, feeling that heartache. But no one ever listens to their mother, and we all have to learn from our mistakes.



If I could write a letter to me
And send it back in time to myself at 17
First I'd prove it's me by saying look under your bed
There's a Skoal can and a Playboy no one else would know you hid
And then I'd say I know it's tough
When you break up after seven months
And yeah I know you really liked her and it just don't seem fair
All I can say is pain like that is fast and it's rare

And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
She wasn't right for you
And still you feel like there's a knife sticking out of your back
And you're wondering if you'll survive
You'll make it through this and you'll see
You're still around to write this letter to me

At the stop sign at Tomlinson and Eighth
Always stop completely don't just tap your breaks
And when you get a date with Bridgett make sure the tank is full
On second thought forget it that one turns out kinda cool
Each and every time you have a fight
Just assume you're wrong and dad is right
And you should really thank Mrs. Brinkman
She spent so much extra time
It's like she sees the diamond underneath
And she's polishin' you 'til you shine

And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
Tonight's the bonfire rally
But you're staying home instead because if you fail Algebra
Mom and dad will kill you dead
Trust me you'll squeak by and get a C
And you're still around to write this letter to me

You've got so much up ahead
You'll make new friends
You should see your kids and wife
And I'd end by saying have no fear
These are nowhere near the best years of your life

I guess I'll see you in the mirror
When you're a grown man
P.S. go hug Aunt Rita every chance you can

And oh you got so much going for you going right
But I know at 17 it's hard to see past Friday night
I wish you'd study Spanish
I wish you'd take a typing class
I wish you wouldn't worry, let it be
I'd say have a little faith and you'll see

If I could write a letter to me
To me

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