Sweet Home Alabama – not

I recently went to Alexander City AL on a company trip.  It’s about a 5-6 hour drive.  I drove down on a Monday morning to setup a couple of pSeries servers and finished the job about 6:30 Tuesday evening.  I was on the road to home by 6:42 PM.  I stopped once at a rest area and not again until I was home just before midnight.  A lot of loud music on the way.  Songs from the 80’s and 90’s mostly.  Way too much time to think.  I think that perhaps one of the nicest things an old friend can say after not being  in touch for years is ‘I hope the years have been kind.’.  I feel like I’m due some kind years.
I don’t really remember now what all my thoughts were on that trip home, but I do remember the cold chills I got when ‘It’s My Life’ by Bon Jovi started.  I remember thinking that that song in a way saved me.   After a breakup I was lost.  I had put so much of myself into the relationship and when it was over it was completely over yet I had to see her every work day.  I felt I had to reclaim my life.  I’ve learned that many people are perfectly willing to take your life.  Take everything you have to give until there is nothing left for yourself of nothing of yourself.  Many of our young men and some women are giving their lives in a war in Iraq.  When they are killed it’s final and sad, but when you give up your life but are still living the living isn’t really.  This makes me think of a scene from Shawshank Redemption where he says something like either start living or start dying.
I remember when MTV was new and I felt new also.  I’ll never feel that new again.