“By the Way, I Forgive You” this line, from the song Every Time I Hear That Song by Brandi Carlile, echoed in my mind immediately after I first heard the song.

There is something about her voice, coupled with the melody and the lyrics that sounds so familiar. In fact, when I first heard the song, I thought I was re-hearing it. That is how familiar the song felt to me. This song was released this year, but its sound echoes the sound of classic country or folk music from the 50s and 60s.

When I first heard this song it made me think of a challenging romantic relationship that I had almost a decade ago. To me the song is an accurate summary of what processing a breakup is like, finding the gifts in it and having moments of nostalgia of the good times that can be triggered by a song. Or perhaps the song that takes you back is a reminder of that time or experience of your life or is it summarizes the lessons you learned from an experience or relationship.

In recent weeks, the song has had a new meaning for me. It conjures up reflection and a bitter sweet feeling that I feel from leaving my career and moving out of state. There are many songs I hear from that time that take me back to specific people, places and moves from that part of my life.

With whatever challenges that we have in life, it is important to take a moment to grieve what we must and find the gifts in the experience or even in the loss. Once we are healed we are better able to move on. When we are able to say Thank You or I Forgive You it is possibly the best resolve we can have from moments that may have once slowed us down or made us pause.

Every Time I Hear That Song – Brandi Carlile

A love song was playing on the radio
It made me kind of sad because it made me think of you
And I wonder how you’re doing but I wish I didn’t care
Because I gave you all I had and got the worst of you

By the way, I forgive you
After all, maybe I should thank you
For giving me what I’ve found
‘Cause without you around
I’ve been doing just fine
Except for any time I hear that song (ooh ooh)

Didn’t it break your heart when you watched my smile fading
Did it ever cross your mind that one day the tables would be turned
They told me the best revenge would be a life well lived
And the strongest one that holds would be the hardest one to earn

By the way, I forgive you
After all, maybe I should thank you
For giving me what I’ve found
‘Cause without you around
I’ve been doing just fine
Except for any time I hear that song (ooh ooh)
Oh, any time I hear that song (ooh ooh)

When I woke up in the morning I was choking on some words
There were things unsaid between us, there were things you never told
Now that’s twice you broke my heart now, the first was way back when
And to know you’re still unhappy only makes it break again

By the way, I forgive you
After all, maybe I should thank you
For giving me what I’ve found
‘Cause without you around
I’ve been doing just fine

By the way, I forgive you
I never will, never will forget you
For giving me what I’ve found
‘Cause without you around
I’ve been doing just fine
Except for any time I hear that song (ooh ooh)
Oh, any time I hear that song (ooh ooh)
Oh, any time I hear that song (ooh ooh)
Ooh, ooh, hmm