DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum A Neat Personal Story

Please don't think I'm trying to make this out to be more than it is. It was simply a pleasant coincidence, but it is something that I will hold onto as one of the neatest things I have felt.

Sunday October 10th was a tough day for me. My wife and children were all sick and could not attend the Browns game with me at my local Browns Backers residence. I had just finished up taking some online credit counseling for my current bankruptcy I'm going through (due to my wife losing her job and being unable to find employment.) To top it all off, the Browns lost by 10 points to Atlanta, which was icing on the cake for my crappy day.

Anyway, I was completely disgusted all around. Not a happy guy to be around. I was rude to my sister and family in general. I was just being a real jerk. I ended up driving home around 5:30 so I could be with my sick family.

I would say that drive home was one of the lower points in my life. I was about as low as someone can get within reason. Not suicidal low, but definitely not a low I want to visit often.

About 3/4 of the way home, I heard some familiar lyrics on the radio... "Just a small town girl...Living in a lonely world."

You all know the song- Journey, Don't Stop Believing. I pulled into the drive about halfway through the song, but I sat there and just absorbed the song into my soul. How appropriate, just when I needed it the most, that song came on the radio. Awesome!! I started thinking to myself, "Don't stop believing, Tony! Your family will recover, your finances will improve, and the Browns can't go anywhere at up!”

From that point forward, I have kept up a positive attitude, and my life really has started to turn for the better.

Fast forward several weeks as I'm packing my bags to take my family to go on our yearly trip to a Browns game. Everyone was healthy, happy, and excited. We were stacked up against the mighty Patriots, but I still had my “don't stop believing” attitude. "Maybe we can win!"

We bumped into some Pats fans in our hotel Saturday night. After they were done heckling us, I told them, "you guys are going to be surprised with the football game you get from us. Not saying we will win, but we will play solid football today."

You guys all know what happened during the game. It was a great game, and we took it to them. It was a great feeling for the entire family. But it gets better…

Anyone who was at the game can attest- immediately following the game, the very same song by Journey blared over the speakers. "DON'T STOP... BELIEVING!"
I didn't want to leave the stadium!! Seeing my family so thrilled and optimistic about the win was so special. The feeling I got sitting in the stadium and hearing that song was amazing. It was a great reminder that my life is GOOD! It reiterated to me that even though life brings you to your knee's, don't stop believing! Even when life is at it's darkest, there is always hope!

Have a great day Dawgs!

Nice story, and I hope things continue to go well for you.
The power of music can be amazing in its ability to inspire. Fact.

edit*: My favorite band is Triumph, a 70s-80s hard rock/progressive rock band from Canada. Some of their best known songs are about positive inspiration (Magic Power, Fight the Good Fight, Never Surrender).

Anyways, not long after the Cardinals won the 1982 World Series, a St. Louis disc jockey was telling Triumph singer/guitarist Rik Emmett that the Cardinals would blast Triumph songs in the clubhouse prior to World Series games because it got them pumped up.

Thanks for sharing your story. In most ways, life is what you choose to make of it. As you've found out, a positive attitude can carry you a long way by smoothing out life's rough patches a bit and, on the other end of the scale, making those mountain top experiences absolutely breathtaking.

Enjoy!

i have always believed in the power of music to inspire. I have also believed in the power of a person's belief in the power of a belief in music to inspire. Catch that? You have to believe to believe. lol. There is nowhere to go but up man. Life always has a way of surprising you!

Nice story,, hope things continue to improve for you and your family.

This is why I'm still trying to master "Tom Sawyer" on the drums.

Someday, I'm gonna get you, Neil Peart !

If I didn't believe it, it would never happen.

Very cool.

Sometimes songs just find you. On the good side and the bad side. I swear I couldn't escape break-up songs in high school. Not that any girl would ever break-up with me. Strictly hypothetical. lol

Best of wishes to you and your family.

First of all - good for you, with the mind change and all. It makes a difference.

Secondly - Don't Stop Believing is perhaps one of my favorite songs, ever!

Thirdly - music does something to a person. There are 2 songs that, to this day, when I hear them, I smell the football locker room and am ready to bust some butt.

There are many songs that, when I hear them, I cry......

Music is a powerful thing in some respects.

To you: Don't stop believing!!!!

Good story, and the power of music is amazing. As Frank Zappa said...."Music is the Best"