As I scrolled through my YouTube feed, a familiar album cover caught my eye George Strait’s Love is Everything. The song that was offer through the link was , When the Credits Roll, which I had quoted during my dad, Baxter Johnston’s, funeral eulogy. In that moment, I was struck by a realization that another song from the same album, Love is Everything, had also played a pivotal role in my life. I used it to propose to my wife.

These connections made me even more grateful to George Strait and his Love is Everything album. It provided a meaningful soundtrack for two of life’s most profound moments, offering structure, emotion, and clarity when I needed it most. The serendipity of using not one but two songs from the same album highlights the album’s relatable nature and my deep appreciation for Strait’s music. In a broader sense, it reminded me how music can serve as a lens for understanding life, especially when it mirrors real emotions and experiences.

Self-reflection, I believe, doesn’t come naturally for most of us…“it just comes natural,” as Strait himself might say. It’s a challenge that requires us to step outside ourselves, examine who we are, why we act the way we do, and consider the meaning and impact of our actions.

Recently, I took a business ethics course that introduced several frameworks for evaluating ethical decisions objectively. These frameworks emphasized the importance of stepping back and reflecting before making decisions, which reinforced the idea that self-reflection is a cornerstone of ethical thinking. Without the ability to reflect critically on the options, challenges, and potential outcomes of a situation, how can anyone hope to assess its moral implications effectively?

For me, country music often serves as a powerful tool for self-reflection. It has given me clarity and perspective during life’s most significant moments, providing insights that go beyond the surface. I wonder how common it is for others to turn to music as a means of understanding themselves and the world around them?

Music, like life, is full of nuance and depth. It has the power to connect us to our emotions, guide us through pivotal moments, and inspire self-reflection. For me, George Strait’s Love is Everything album became more than a collection of songs. The album became a companion in life’s most memorable milestones. Music that has some redeeming value can help us navigate the complexities of our journey. Enough for now, before…I get carried away.