Country music legend Merle Haggard passed away on April 6, his 79th birthday. I got the notification on my phone and immediately left class to process such an overwhelming and devastating thing. I could not believe that one man that touched the lives of millions vanished in the blink of an eye. The Hag seemed to be like more than a person — he seemed invincible. The world of country music took to social media to pay respect to the celebrated musician who made us all feel like it was all right to be a little haggard (pun intended) around the edges. He taught the world so much through his songs, and I owe a lot of life lessons to the music of The Poet of the Common Man.
One of the biggest things I have learned in life is that hard work never hurt anybody. “Workin’ Man Blues” was a song to celebrate the struggle of the blue-collar man. It highlights the hardship that so many have to go through just to feed their families and keep the raft afloat. From this, I learned that hard work, while trying at times, is worth it in the end. People become stronger through strife, and Merle was no stranger to that. In the end, hard work pays off.
I also don't have to change my mind. Personally, I don't want to drink my feelings away because that just isn't who I am. In "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink," Merle talks about how no woman can change the way he thinks, so he thinks he'll drink. Much like Merle, I am my own person, and I intend on keeping it that way! The lesson I learned from this is nobody can tell me to change my habits or opinions if I really don't want to.
Another big lesson I learned is that pride isn't always a bad thing. This one came to me in a hard way because we are all taught to not be cocky, showy or rude, but that's not necessarily what pride means. The one song that comes to mind when a person says Merle Haggard is “Okie From Muskogee.” This is a song about pride and personal morals, and it makes it all right for a person to brag about themselves and where they come from. I tried to change the words to this once when I was a kid because it resonated with me. I love where I come from, and I love who I have become. I learned to revel in those things because of Merle Haggard.
It's okay for me to be myself, too. As much as some might not like it, everyone is different. We can’t all fit into a perfect idea of what others want us to be. Mostly, mothers want their children to be the best version of themselves they can. That version of us is up to us; however, and despite how hard “Mama Tried,” sometimes she just couldn’t help but raise a rebel child. Merle’s acknowledgement of that made it ok for me to be that rebel for a while. It made me realize that all of the consequences I will face in life are my own because she did the best she could with me.
I have the ability to touch a life, just like Merle Haggard did. In 1957, he was jailed for trying to rob a store in Bakersfield, CA. He was sent to San Quentin where he got to watch one of his soon-to-be colleagues — Johnny Cash — perform. During that time, surely nobody would have expected him to become one of the most legendary musicians in history. Merle turned his own life into something that will last forever, and there is nothing to say that I can’t do the same. The songs Merle Haggard sang were important, and they made a huge impact on my life, but more than that, his life made an impact on mine. Millions upon millions of people can say the same thing. There was so much in one life that we can all learn from and attempt to do the same.
Thank you, Merle Haggard, for teaching me so many things. Rest in peace.
