This is My Life

So I am a big music person. I love music and the way the lyrics can be related to certain events, times, feelings, etc. in our life. The past few months there have been various songs that I have really related to at different times. Today I was listening to my ipod on my way back from Show Low and I was listening to the CD Prayer of A Common Man by Phil Vassar, who is one of my all time favorite singer/songwriters. I had just listened to it a few days before, but today I was particularly listening to the lyrics. The first song on the CD, This is My Life really struck me today. I have listened to it several times before, but for some reason right then I really liked the words.

Fat cats just getting fatter
Lining their pockets
What does it matter?
All I want is an honest wage
A piece of ground where my kids are safe
80 bucks to fill my truck
Old man telling me times are tough
Sticking it to the middle class
Well, they can kiss my price of gas

Its time to speak my mind
Hey-- this is my life
Woa – woa this is my life
Hey--yea this is my life
Woa-woa
Yea, and I want it back

Republican or democrat
Well, I don’t give a damn about that
I want a chance to do my job
Pledge allegiance to my God
Talkin’ heads trying to buy my vote
I’m just trying to pay my note
I’m a husband trying to be a father
Raise my son and raise my daughter

Can you hear me?
Hey-- this is my life
Woa – woa this is my life
Hey--yea this is my life
Woa-woa
And I want it back

Well, I’m just standing on the edge of the brink
I will not go quietly
I’ll tell you what I think

Its time to speak my piece
Squeaky wheel always gets the grease
One single voice don’t matter
But everybody’s screaming up the ladder
Gonna get the attention of the man on top
Make it louder, shake and rock
It might just come tumbling down
Spread all that wealth around

That’s what I’m talking about
Hey-ya this is my life
Woa – woa this is my life
Hey-hey-yea this is my life
Woa-woa
This is my life
This is my life


The bolded part is what really struck me. I have realized lately that in life I tend to be more of a reactive individual, rather than a proactive person. I let things happen to me rather than making things happen. While in some instances this is just fine, I think that it is time that I start taking charge of my life and making things happen rather than just letting things happen to me. I have always been pretty good at dealing with whatever comes my way. And this weekend I realized that the thing I have the hardest time with is the unknown. If I don't know what it is I am dealing with then I have a really hard time, but if I know what it is I can deal with it, no matter what it is. Does that make sense? I guess it is like FDR said.. "All we have to fear is fear itself." I do not do well with the unknown. I do not like not knowing how someone feels about me or not knowing what is going to happen. Perhaps that is where my irrational fear of aliens comes from. I do not know what is out there and it freaks me out.... Hmmm interesting thing to ponder.