Why do we do this to ourselves?

If you asked me in high school what kind of music I listened to, I would have said "A little of everything...except rap and country."  I haven't changed much, but I find myself liking certain country artists more and more.  My husband is a Garth Brooks fan, and I like many of his songs.  I became a Rascal Flatts fan in college and went to their concert for my 21st birthday.  I consider myself a "crossover country" fan--I would never "favorite" a country station on my radio, but every now and then I just need a twang in my day, okay ya'll?

My question today is this:  why are so many country songs so sad?  I mean, really people.  Aside from the typical infidelity songs...which span every musical genre I think....I really believe that country music holds the record for the most heartwrenching songs about cancer, unexpected death, suicide, or any other tragic event.  Any sane person would rebel against this depressing stuff.  I consider myself to be a happy person...but every so often, "Sara Beth" will come up on  my shuffle and, instead of saying "No thanks, I'm having a great day," I listen.  And I let myself get sucked in to this manipulative heart-string pulling song and end up crying on my way to the gym.  Seriously?

Again I ask...Why do we do this to ourselves?  For that matter, why do I intentionally opt to watch movies repeatedly that I know will reduce me to nothing more than a sniveling ball of kleenex and snot.. (Up! anyone?)  My mother absolutely refuses to watch anything that is remotely sad.  I used to mock her for this, but ever since I got married, I have become more and more like her.  I'll still watch those movies, but I am more disturbed by them.  Somehow, the unfortunate death of a computer-animated elderly woman and her widower's fantastical and touching journey to their dream vacation locale finds its way into my mind as something that will ABSOLUTELY HAPPEN TO JORDAN AND I.  I am so afraid to be apart from my husband that I immediately take whatever I am reading, watching, or listening to way too personally and start worrying about it.  I am hoping that this will calm down with time.  We'll see.

Anyway, I leave you with a favorite quote from one of my favorite shows...Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Xander- "That's okay. I don't wanna go. Just gonna go home, lie down, and listen to country music. The music of pain."


Well said my friend, well said.