How Carrie Underwood Came to Describe Life

I’m no country music fan, but I came to like Carrie Underwood after someone explained what American Idol was…after the fourth season concluded and someone told me I needed cultural rehab. My family ordered her latest CD, Carnival Ride for Christmas and instantly loved every song. Funny thing, with a little twist, so many of the songs I could apply to my bizarre life in Harare Zimbabwe!

• Flat on the Floor- “You can’t knock me off my feet, when I’m already on my knees…” That’s what happens on a bathroom visit at 2am without power, everything knocks you off your feet.

• So Small- “Sometimes that mountain you’ve been climbing is just a grain of sand and what you’ve been out there searching for is in your hand…” Yea, the lack of water, power, and internet isn’t that bad. We can deal with it like adults. No sweat. Wait a minute, who didn’t bucket flush the toilet!

• Get out of this Town – “Let’s get out of this town tonight, nothing but dust [and potholes] in the shadows, gone by morning light [or earlier], we won’t ever get caught [by immigration], ever get found [by the police], baby let’s get out of this town…” Theme song for our TV show!

• Crazy Dreams- “Thank God even crazy dreams come true…” The fact that pizza is still for sale or that we can find bread that day, the little miracles.

• You Won’t Find This- “Now there’s once in a lifetime and once in a while and the distance between the two is about a million miles…” It reminds me what matters most.

• Twisted- “It’s twisted, messed up and the more I think about it’s crazy [and we’re fed up]…” This song is about the banking, the shopping, the economy, the attempt to complete college online, everything. Whenever something doesn’t make sense…“it’s twisted.”

• Wheel of the World- “God put us here on this carnival ride, we close our eyes, never knowing what it will take us next…” No matter what happens, there is a plan and we are being molded and shaped as we spin around and around on the carnival ride. No matter what carnival ride you’re ever on, God put you there.