I love you Daddy.

…and I hope you know how much I love you.

I really don’t listen to the new style of country music much anymore. I’ve always been a George Strait and Hank Jr. girl, with some Alabama, Brooks and Dunn, and a potpourri of Cash, Dolly, Willie, Merle,George Jones and the like mixed in. Occasionally I love Brad Paisley and a few others, but otherwise I’m classic all the way when I do listen to country. Normally I’m listening to some ear ringing alternative rock station. Or Ke$ha. Or Top 20. Yes, I’m that 41 year old listening to get off my lawn music. But honestly, my fondest memories and experiences are tied to music from when country was king.

Going down the road the other day with my mother, this song came on her CD changer and she started to cry. She said my daddy heard it when they left the doctor’s office. They were on their way to tell me he had stage 4 cancer and he started to cry when he heard it.

She hadn’t heard it again up until then. And then it made us both cry.

And now I can’t stop listening to it. And I cry every time, despite the title.

But I’ll keep riding. If I fall, I’ll get right back on. My daddy taught me well.

P.S. I didn’t ever have a pony. I had a horse. Buck. Like Marshall Dillon and Ben Cartwright. Laugh and I’ll kick you square in the ass, just like my horsey would have, I’m sure. Good boy. : )