Soundtrack of my Life – Entry #10 – Five More Minutes – Scotty McCreery

I’ve said it before, that Country just isn’t my thing, but this song by Scotty McCreery came to me at the the perfect time, through a very special person (who happens to adore Country), and is now a permanent part of my soundtrack. The song makes me think about all the times I wished for five more minutes and what it would be like if those minutes never came. It reminds me that life is short and each memory we make is precious. It also reminds me of the quote by James Dean, the plaque I have hanging in the room where I write, “Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.” Lastly, it reminds me why, after all of these years, I am writing again.

I have had a ton of “five more minute” points in my life, and while I try not to live with regret, there are always moments you wish you could take back or extend. It is human nature to live in retrospect and there are countless people in my life that I have lost that I would love to spend a little more time with. The memories we made are what get me through, and I honor each one of them by spending as much time as I can with the people I love. An important part of that is making sure those people know how I feel about them, which is why I feel that the act of writing, and sharing that gift is so powerful. It gives the writer “five more minutes” to get their point across for years, decades, sometimes even centuries, touching the lives of countless people along the way. Even for non-writers, the act of jotting down thoughts, dreams, and hopes for the ones you love, will often be the most cherished gift you can leave behind.

So for the people who are only with me in my heart, thank you for the joy you continue to bring me through memories of our time together. For my writer friends, thank you so much for filling my life with words that have brought me laughter, love and adventure. For my non-writer friends, thank you for giving me a trunk full of experiences that I can examine and relive when my days are dark. And for anyone who has a dream they haven’t followed, don’t wait. Make sure you live your life to the fullest, so you never, ever, have to wish for five more minutes…