High Voltage!

It occurred to me while I was at the dump. Literally, I was at the county landfill. I had borrowed a truck from a friend and had just finished unloading my second trip of nasty old half-composted sod that my wife and I dug up over the course of the summer. It was probably 100 degrees and we'd been working out in the sun all afternoon. I was covered in sweat and filth before I ever stepped foot in the dump. And afterwards, I felt even dirtier. Suddenly, as I left the landfill in this large truck, some song by John Cougar Mellancamp came on the radio. (Disclaimer: I generally do not endorse John Cougar, John Mellancamp, or John Cougar Mellancamp) But I'm pretty sure that in that moment I was the manliest man I've ever been in my life.

Maybe it was the satisfaction of having accomplished the day's task: building a small brick paver patio to keep our trash cans and BBQ from destroying the grass. Maybe it was feeling higher up off the road and being in a truck. Maybe it was sunstroke? But in that moment, I was sure that if I spoke the voice of Sam Elliot would emerge from lips. Surely I was fulfilling the prophetic chevrolet commercials about "hauling loads." What a man indeed! A weekend warrior social worker posing as the last great American cowboy. Isn't that what we're supposed to do?

I had another epiphany yesterday morning. I was cruising to work in our tiny little Nissan sentra, listening to the radio. Mindlessly, I began singing along with the song. As I neared work, I realized I was chanting "dirty deeds, done dirt cheap!" Instantly I stopped and felt guilty. Yes, it's ironic. I chided myself. But that doesn't make it funny and it doesn't make it okay. I changed the station to something more responsible- but it didn't feel as good as ACDC. Shouldn't I be over this thing by now? Does God get upset when I sing "dirty deeds, done dirt cheap?"

The role music plays in our world is fascinating. I wish I had SOME musical talent. I'd have traded my basketball talent for musical talent. I hope God appreciates air guitar.