When I was a senior in high school, my good friend Lauren was talking to me about a song I had never heard.  I remember her telling me that I would love it, along with a couple of other tracks–  “I’ll make you a CD!” she said excitedly.

Lauren made me that CD in 2012, and almost 5 years later (yikes, hey there, 2017!) I’m still listening to it when I’m driving around.  Just recently, I felt particularly sentimental as I was singing along to the tunes.  Though often experienced and celebrated in a group setting (i.e. concerts, music festivals, etc.), music is very much an individualized and personalized experience.  It’s what people turn to when they’re happy and when they’re sad; when we’re seeking solace in the privacy of our own rooms or looking to dance and

jump around with those that matter most to us. It’s a vehicle for catharsis and can often summarize our thoughts on any given situation when we, the listener, for whatever reason, lack the vocabulary or agency to do so. It’s why we make playlists dedicated to specific feelings, emotions, or occasions.  (Roses has already made herself TWO Christmas playlists on my Spotify account).

Music is an extension of the self, and to have someone be mindful of this as they create a playlist for a friend is a heart-warming thought. To want to share music with someone is a powerful notion when you take into account the fact that someone must consider their relation to you paralleled to how they feel about particular songs.  To want a friend listen to the same songs you do when you need to escape or need to be inspired is a testament to friendship if I’ve ever heard one.

now playing: wildfire– Frank Ocean, John Mayer

bridget

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