Aint it funny how a melody...

I was doing a little vacuuming today, blasting my tunes like always, when a song came on that really took me back. Do you remember the Clint Black song that starts, "Aint it funny how a melody can bring back a memory?" (That wasn't the song, but isn't it so true? I had a friend named Melody and we used to joke that she would arrange to have that song played at her funeral. I wonder whatever happened to her...)

Anyway, I'm not the only one that this happens to: a song comes on and suddenly a truckload of memories are dumped in your mind and all the feelings come tumbling out. And all you can do is stop and remember. That's what happened this morning.

The song-"Please Remember Me" by Tim McGraw

The scenario-I was finishing my freshman year at BYU, and had just broken up with my boyfriend when I first heard this song on the radio. I met Randy at the beginning of the year, but I had just sent my high school sweetheart out on a mission and was determined not to get involved with anyone. That lasted a whole two months. By November, I was having a great time with Randy--he was a premie (pre-missionary) so he was safe, not looking for anything serious, and I was lonely, and he actually liked me! Still, I was just in it for fun, and because it was nice to feel those butterflies again.

We definitely had our ups and downs during the next five months, probably because I didn't put a lot of effort into our relationship, so it wasn't too surprising when we broke up in April. It was a Sunday night after ward prayer, and we were sitting there in silence, probably both anticipating what was coming. I remember it so clearly, and I even used parts of that night in my first attempt at writing a novel. He asked me to go outside with him, but it was raining so we didn't make it far. Instead, we stood by the bike racks and he said, "What's going on with us?"
I answered honestly, "I don't know."
He said, "It's not the same, is it?"
And I said, "No." (you are getting a glimpse at just how fantastic my story is:).
Then we decided it was best if we broke up, which is what I thought I wanted. He told me that he loved me (which he had said before) and I told him I loved him (which I hadn't ever told him) and he left.

That's when I started crying. I had NO IDEA I would be so sad, but I cried all night. The next day (or maybe the day after, who knows for sure?) I heard the song on the radio and knew it was going to be one of those special songs, written just for me. I was on the computer chatting with another boy in our ward when he told me Randy had just come into his room. Randy sat down and we chatted for a minute, and I was telling him about the song when it came on the radio. I told him to turn the radio on and we sat there, in our separate rooms, listening to it. He agreed that it was written just for us.

Over the next five weeks or so (until school was out), we did anything but avoid each other (it was after we broke up that he sat by me at church for the first time), and I started to realize that my feelings for him were much deeper than I had guessed. I saw him at a dance and we ended up dancing four times, each time a little closer. He got his mission call, and invited me to come to Oregon for his farewell in June (and offered to pay for it!).

Despite all my friends' protests that we were just going to get back together, I wasn't so sure. I didn't know if it was a good idea, especially since our relationship seemed so much better when we were broken up (except that he didn't kiss me anymore, of course). After not seeing him for a month, I flew to Oregon for his farewell, and as soon as I saw him waiting for me at the airport, I knew I really did love him, despite my best intentions not to (that was also the moment I realized that I could never have a fling, because my heart insisted on getting involved). We had a great couple of days together and I gave him a copy of "Please Remember Me" to keep (my sister had bought the cd single and I took it to give to him. I hope you're not mad any more, Heather, but if you are I will pay for you to download the song). I can't listen to the song without remembering all of those feelings (good and bad) and wondering if he still thinks about me when he hears it, too.

I have no idea where he is now (I met Jeff in September, when Randy had only been gone three months) and I haven't seen him since that day I flew out of Oregon. I hope he looks back on the time we spent together with good memories. But I really hope he just remembers at all.

So, that was my morning. What are some songs (and stories) that bring back memories for you? I'd love to hear them! Oh, and I created a playlist that should play this song (and only this song) that I will leave up for a while, for your listening pleasure!