my careless contagion

Warning! This is a long post but worth it. Before I begin, let me say a few words. No one knows who wrote this. I will explain what it means to me at the end.  Judge Gently  Pray don't find fault with the man who limps or stumbles along the road, unless you have worn the shoes he wears, or struggled beneath his load, there may be tacks in his shoes that hurt, though hidden away from view, or the burden he bears, placed on your back, might cause you to stumble, too. Don't sneer at the man who's down today, unless you have felt the blow that caused his fall or felt the shame that only the fallen know. You may be strong; but still the blows that were his, if dealt to you in the selfsame way, at the selfsame time, might cause you to stagger, too. Don't be too harsh with the man who sins, or pelt him with word or stone, unless you are sure, yea doubly sure, that you have no sins of your own; for you know, perhaps if the tempter's voice should whisper as softly to you as ...

This song and video have interesting features for a country song. Country music can be faulted for hewing too closely to traditional forms. Break up in a Small Town seeks to shake things up a bit with the way the video is edited and the storytelling that segues into song. Still, it's another lost-love country song.  When I divorced my ex-wife, my divorce took place in a small town (about 2,000) where we both lived. To compound that, my ex is also close to my parents (mostly because we work for them). Her desk is right in front of mine at work. I have to work closely with her on projects. While this is not a problem in my day-to-day life, as I respect her and have a friendship with her, if I imagine a future for myself it is clear I have to move on. And that moving on will entail an actual move, as the song suggests.  No one tells you how mutual friends or mutual acquaintances will treat you after you get a divorce. It's a strange feeling. You almost leave your bod...