In the Back of the Bottom Drawer

Over the weekend, I had a chance to watch tv, (something I almost never do) so I caught up on some music by watching CMT. One that struck me was the video for Chely Wright’s new song, “Back of the Bottom Drawer”. Chely Wright has a penchant for songs that are very realistic, sometimes even at the expense of rhyme and even radio’s right hand – sing-ability. Chely chooses depth over pop and she knows how to write for her own voice. She is somewhat defiant in her style. She always has something to say. It sounds cliché, but she’s definitely more than a pretty face in Nashville.

Back of the Bottom Drawer is true Chely Wright style. Here are the lyrics .

It made me think. It made me smile. Chely’s good at that. It begs the obvious question. I have a cigar box in the back of the bottom drawer. Don’t you? I think of it as a shrine to yesterday. Today is always better and as the lyric said:

I don't keep these things 'cause I'm longing to go back
I keep them because I want to stay right where I'm at
I'm reminded of my rights and wrongs
I don't want to mess this up
But I wouldn't know where I belong
Without this box of stuff.

I don’t have Chely’s gift for blatant personal honesty, but my box holds things I treasure from days gone by.

*A letter from my mom
*A letter from my first love
*A tape of a song
*My high school ring
*A piece of my wedding dress
*Dried flowers from a funeral
*Movie tickets
*Concert tickets
*An old pair of sunglasses
*A couple of photos
*A deck of cards

Funny. Looking at this list, I realize that if someone else took a look at all these thing they would probably see just a pile of junk. Well, except for the ring and maybe the letters. But it’s this perceived “junk” that feels like all the pieces of my life. Little moments, represented some of my dearest memories all in one place, just for me.

So, what’s in your box?