On our recent road trip to Northern California, we brought along several CDs to listen and sing along to in the car. One of the discs was Alan Jackson’s second greatest hits album. We love Alan Jackson! His voice has such great tone and his gospel album gets regular playtime in our car.
On the second day of the trip, while driving from the bay area to Humboldt, we listened to the greatest hits album. Sienna was up with Gaga already, so it was just Dennis, Teo, Claira, and me in the car. The 13th track: “When Somebody Loves You” played through and as it ended Mateo asked, “Can we hear that one again?”
“Sure,” I replied as I hit the back button on the stereo. When the song ended the second time Teo asked, “Again?”
“Okay. You like this song, don’t you?” I asked, smiling at him in the rearview mirror. Teo smiled and nodded.
This time, Teo started singing along with the chorus:
But when somebody loves you
There’s nothing you can’t do
When somebody loves you
It’s easy to get through
When somebody loves you
The way I love you
Oh my goodness, my heart! Teo loves to sing and is constantly singing the songs he learns in preschool around the house. He also sings along to several songs in the car. Twila Paris’s “Lamb of God” is a favorite. But, this was extra precious in that he felt a connection to this particular song the first time he heard it. Then after two listens he was singing along. Love.
For the rest of the trip, Teo frequently requested “the love song” as he called it. We must have played it over thirty times. Once we picked up Sienna, she got into the trip theme song too.
The memory that stands out to me most was the four of us driving near the ranch with the windows rolled down and “When Somebody Loves You” turned up, all singing along.
My heart was full of joy.
I really like the idea of this being a theme song, not just for this trip, but for our family. The lyrics speak of the strength that comes from knowing you’re loved. I pray our children feel resilient because of the unconditional love their parents have for them. And, as they grow, I want them to know how much their love strengthens our family.
Love, love, love this! xo