Music has no religion, the same way in which religion cannot be limited to a particular set of people. The Southern States of the United States are particularly proficient in music as a god-fearing people. They invented American country music, with a particular emphasis on Evangelical Christianity. And among the numerous country music bands that arose from the South, came Rascal Flatts, a three-man band. “Bless the Broken Road†wasn’t originally sung by Rascal Flatts, but co-written by Marcus Hummon, Bobby Boyd, and Jeff Hanna in 1994. It was performed by Nitty Grit Band in the same year, but it was the Rascal Flatts cover which rose to prominence, with it winning the 2005 Grammy Award for Best Country Song. The song starts with the intro, I set out on a narrow way many years ago Hoping I would find true love along the broken road A traveler of love sings this song. He calls his path narrow and broken, implying his choices are limited and his way to true love is filled with obstacles. He continues, But I got lost a time or two Wiped my brow and kept pushing through I couldn't see how every sign pointed straight to you The words obviously point out to previous failed relationships that set him out on another path. He recovers from them and keeps trying. But all the while, he couldn’t see how every sign along the way, every little clue and every hint was a sign from God sending him towards his eventual true love. She was there all that time, yet she was invisible to him till he travelled his path. She was invisible till God took off the blindfold from his eyes and cleared his vision. He proceeds to the bridge and chorus. That every long lost dream led me to where you are Others who broke my heart, they were like Northern stars Pointing me on my way into your loving arms This much I know is true That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you Yes, He did He takes inspiration from his previous love failures. He does not regret them. He credits them for leading to her in the end. Polaris, the North Star has helped travelers for ages since the beginning of time, to find their way when they are lost at night. These stars in his path pointed at his girl, all converging on her. As a devout Christian, he credits God with blessing and fixing the Broken Road of Love that was in front of him. The second verse rolls as follows. I think about the years I spent just passin' through I'd like to have the time I lost and give it back to you But you just smile and take my hand You've been there, you understand It's all part of a grander plan that is coming true Though he said that he does not regret his earlier failures, he laments the time lost for them. He wishes he had spent that time going through his life with her. But all those sentiments disappear at the sight of her smile. He understands that she was there all along and it was all part of God’s master plan. The bridge and chorus described above, comes again for the second time. Afterwards, the song ends with the outro, And now I'm just a-rollin' home Into my lover's arms This much I know is true That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you That God blessed the broken road That led me straight to you Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, mm, mm The traveler finishes his journey and is merely rolling home towards the arms of his One True Love. He does not know much, but what he does know for sure is that God blessed his broken road, and led him straight to her. The song does not have much lyrical genius embedded with it, but the feeling one gets as one listens is incomparable, especially if one is on the same broken road, looking for that special someone. The true strength of the song comes from the melody, especially the acoustic guitar and the piano tracks, acting in harmony to reminisce a Christian hymn turned into a love song. The vocals of Rascal Flatts’s lead singer Gary LeVox blend well with the occasional backup vocals of his guitarist and keyboard players, Jay DeMarcus and Joe Don Rooney, in tandem with the perfect melody to create an amalgamation sent by the angels themselves. The true power of “Bless the Broken Road’ is that is  it empathizes with the listener. Love is no easy road. We stumble. We fall. We stare at an empty highway as far as the eye can see. Yet the writer tells us to keep believing that God has a plan. We just need to wait. Whether you may be are a Buddhist, Hindu or Muslim, these words resonate with you. No matter where you are, there is someone out there waiting for you. Maybe you’ve met. Maybe you haven’t. Maybe it’s someone who was right there all along. Your story has a lot of pages to be written. Everything that has happened up to now, sets the stage for the grand finale, the climax, the happy ending. Keep hoping. Keep dreaming. Keep walking on that broken road. Because no matter whether you believe in God, a god or no gods, your broken road will be broken no more as your special someone may yet be waiting, till you walk that road up to his/her loving arms: the most supreme blessing of all.
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