slew of words

There is nothing like the feeling of rediscovering an old song and traveling back to that point in time where it was the soundtrack of your daily life. Envisioning the angsty thoughts you used to pretend you had looking out the bus window like you were being recorded for its music video. Reminiscing on how you used to listen to it on your Walkman or your iPod shuffle or YouTube on your first internet-enabled cellular device.

Or the satisfaction of curating the perfect eighties pop playlist with the best one-hit wonder to Whitney Houston to Michael Jackson ratio. Remembering how when you were younger and your mom changed the radio to the oldies station you would complain that you wished you could listen to KISS FM instead. But now you know those songs as the highlights of long car rides and the theme songs of your childhood.

Or the adrenaline rush of a fast beat and catchy phrases that get stuck in your head for weeks. That make you look in the mirror and feel more confident about the makeup you are applying to your face and the decisions ahead of you. Reminding you of silly nights full of laughter and embarrassing dance moves and secrets among friends and late night pizza runs.

Or those songs that you never imagined you would enjoy and maybe the first time you listened to them you changed the station or hit the skip button. But as time went on and the radio became relentless you caved and eventually found your foot tapping to the rhythm. And next thing you knew you were singing it at the top of your lungs in the shower and wondering if the artists would visit your town any time soon.

And there is nothing like the types of songs that alter your emotional state. The sun could be shining and everything is going right but as soon as you hear that first note, it’s game over. So now you are transported to the time that this song meant more to you than just a passing of time or a sweet melody. And you are tearing up in public and reopening old wounds just to realize that you can now take power in knowing that something that seemed like your entire world at the time is just a distant memory. You are stronger because of it and all you have left are these lyrics.