This is country music and we do

This post has two main ideas. Both of which have been on my mind alot as of late.
The first thought to ponder:
Friend --> memories.
When I come home from college for the break, it's always a mad rush to reunite with everyone. This usually results in lots of gas money and very little sleep. Never the less, those two weeks with my old friends are delightful. The girls that I have been besties with forever never change. We always laugh and talk about the same things we always have, now we just have more stories. I look back the memories from high school and cherish every single one of them. The sports and the dances and the people and the classes. It's amazing how things can change and still be the same. I loved sitting around a bon fire and hanging out with people who used to be sports' rivals but are now friends, telling stories about high school. It can be as simple as my girls showing up at my work just to say hi. I'm so lucky to still have all those people in life.
I guess the whole point of this is to just take a minute and appreciate the times that aren't memories yet, but will be.

The second thought to mull over:
Soldiers.
I have always been the type to be behind our men and women 100%. I knew they made sacrifices and faced challenges that everyday people don't. One of my close friends deployed right before Christmas and him being gone reminds me that we need to make sure our soldiers know how much we love them. I am proud to work at a store that gives military discount and I get excited when I get to do that for our service people. It's the same story, a soldier is away from his family and friends at the holdiays. This is the first year that I have actually realized the real hardship that is for many. Thanks for the reality check Rich. Hope you are safe, miss you!

The title of this post comes from a song. I heard it this morning on country radio and it hit home for me. I get alot of grief for listening to country music, but the lyrics to this song say it all. Songs like this one are exactly why country music will never go away; you may not dance to them in clubs but they matter to people.
"So turn it on, turn it up, and sing a long
This is real; this is your life in a song
Just like a road that takes you home
Yeah this is right where you belong
This is country music"
-Brad Paisley