A Letter from Chris Suarez

Be Honest - We All Like A Little Country Music

I spent the last 10 hours driving down Highway 101 along the Oregon Coast. I went from sea level up to about 4000 feet and back down again. I drove on pavement, up logging trails, over sand, and thru the water. I saw forests, mountains, valleys, cliffs, and ocean. I felt the sun, the wind, and the sea mist. And the entire time I listened.  

I listened to country music. Yes. You read that right. A lesser known fact is that this guy, born and raised in New York, has always loved country music. And every so often there is nothing better than driving all day listening to some good country. From classic country, to country rock to bluegrass to country pop to country punk. I love it all.  

It’s the stories in country.  

It’s the perspectives in country.

It’s the carefree nature of country.

I listened to stories of losing and winning. Stories with crying and laughing. There were double-wides and broken hearts and football games and back seats. There was whiskey and wine and beer, lots of beer. 

There were long drives home and broken promises. There were short summers and long winters. There were solo cups and shot glasses. There were fights and break-ups. There was definitely some PG-13 and make-ups. 

At first I thought perhaps I loved country music because it made me feel better about my personal situation. I wasn’t experiencing the heartbreak they sang about. I didn’t have an ex-girlfriend or wife keying my truck or smashing my windows. I wasn’t crying over a break-up or angry about  someone new. I wasn’t alone on a porch littered with beer cans. My dog didn’t die, my car still ran, and my kids still seemed to tolerate me. 

But then I realized, what made me love country music wasn’t how much better my life seemed. It was the fact that things always worked out in the songs. No matter how difficult of a situation, how broken the relationship, how tragic things seemed, the song always  ends and everyone is always happy. People survive. Everything‘s OK. Regardless of what note the song starts on, it always ends on a high note. 

In the end, well, it’s never the end. 

I realized my perspective on life and business reflects almost every country song ever written. There are low points and high points. There is tragedy and elation. There are wins and losses. And at times things will get slightly more dramatic than they need to be. Because in the end everything always works out. 

So keep things in perspective. Don’t take life or yourself too seriously. We all have a country song or two being written about our life right now. A few of you may be singing it as we speak. But hang in there. Sing that chorus. Because the end of the song will always make you smile.

Chris