Nobody told me about this part

Saturday night, I had the privilege of seeing a legend in concert, George Strait. It was definitely a woman's show (he was accompanied by miss Martina McBride, see This One's for the Girls) but it was still fantastic. Any time you can see a performer that has 58 (!) #1 songs, it's at least worth checking out what all the fuss is about. I don't think I've ever cheered so loud for a senior citizen before that night.





His show was a nice compilation of his early songs from the late 70's all the way to his soon to be released album, but one particular jam caught me in my tracks. Titled "A Showman's Life", it's one of your typical downtrodden country songs, covering an unforeseen, unfortunate experience about where life had led him.

Something you might have inferred form the title, the song is about the life of a famous musician and his life on tour. Here's a sample of how it goes:

"They told me all about the pretty girls and the wine and the money and the good times
There's no mention of all the wear and tear on an old honky tonker's heart. Well I might have known it
But nobody told me about this part"

In regard to the music industry, this thought seems to be pretty standard. Months and months away from home, living on a bus and various hotel rooms would be pretty glamorous and exciting life initially but I think it would catch up to a guy.

With that being said, that definitely seems to be the goal for most musicians, or at very least a byproduct of that goal. I can comprehend the appeal of fame, that's not missed on me. George alluded to how much he would miss 20,000 people screaming and cheering to hear him perform. But that line sticks with me, "nobody told me about this part."
   


I think this probably applies to what you and I desire. I can list of 3,4 things that I would love to accomplish or advance to. A higher paying position, a big nice house with a study, a nice large shop for my new woodworking equipment and an MBA to name a few. George refers to these as "pretty girls, the money and the wine". But I think George is trying to tell us something.

What would it be like if I actually had those things?
Or more specifically, what part is somebody not telling me about?

I spend a good amount of time thinking and a few dollars of my money looking to acquire the things I yearn for and the pleasures and glories attached.
But what wisdom and inferences can I make from "A Showman's Life"?

I think the old adage "with great power comes great responsibility" is probably very true. A lower paying, less significant job has very little pressure and responsibility attached, as does a mortgage with property taxes and housing insurance. By no means am I advocating that I want to stay where I am vocationally or residentially, but I think there's a sense of idealizing that occurs with the things we'd like to have. That when that gets here, it'll fix my problems.
I don't want to let the air out of anybody's tires, achieve your dreams and work hard to arrive. I'm just 25, I haven't lived life hardly at all. But I want us to listen to what Papa George (age 60) has to say, there's parts to that dream you may not have been told about.