While the song is mostly about interpersonal relationships, adulthood, spiritual uncertainty and the inevitable suffering that comes with being in a relationship, I think about the lines "our disease is the same one as the trees, unaware that they've been living in a forest" a lot... but in a different context.
So, storytime:
I moved to London in September last year to study for my Master's degree. I came here alone without any friends or family.
I am usually very introverted irl. I spend most of my time reading books and listening to music all day instead of going to random pubs and talking to people for no reason.
The art of social-skydiving scares me and I find it very hard to approach and talk to people even if it's just telling the stranger sat next to me on the bus that I like their earrings. Since I spend most of my time indoors by myself, I haven't been able to make a lot of friends. Only maybe two people that I can think of and that I can trust my life with but we don't really hang out with each other cause they have very busy lives of their own and live far away from each other.
Having lived in random small towns in India for most of my life, I'm used to an environment where life is slow, everyone knows each other's names and have a stronger sense of community. I even walk very slowly and daydream quite a bit and I’m the type to stop and smell the roses kind.
A friend of mine told me before I moved here that people often feel the loneliest in the biggest of cities and I think that is somewhat true. Everything and everyone moves so quickly here. Everyone seems to be in a constant rush, trying to get into the nearest tube carriage before the doors close, go to their next business meeting or hurry to buy groceries. Moving here alone and spending most of my time studying indoors, loneliness and social isolation hit me like a brick in my face in a way I wasn't prepared for.
That's why I'm so grateful I found this website earlier this year where I got to meet and connect with so many beautiful and amazing people like mouse tiff marxinista r1ana caffy and dagny irl.
The song lyrics remind me that while all of us are here, existing and breathing the same air, we sometimes feel super-isolated and lonely and not able to really connect with people on a deeper, more meaningful level but we're all on our own individual journeys living, learning and growing together whilst being completely unaware of the suffering of the person right next to us might be going through.
Be kind to people y'all 🫶
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to me it’s always been kind of a sad song but it’s also resoundingly hopeful
it’s not been the best year but it’s not been the worst, you know how it is- life kind of just happens.
i of course like the part :: “don’t cry… don’t raise your eye… it’s only teenage wasteland”
i graduate this spring and that’s obviously a big milestone. being in high school is kind of uniquely miserable and beautiful at the same time. i’m glad to move on but it’s bittersweet
i’m trying to stay in the present while also remembering that this is really “teenage wasteland” i.e: slums of adolescence.. what feels big now won’t ever matter again.
things might feel empty and really suck, but you gotta keep moving forward. i guess that’s what i learned this year.
long rant over now 🧘♀️
Dec 31, 2024
Her music is the autumn breeze stinging your eyes while you cry. Her music is chain smoking in a graveyard. Her music is raw tenderness and the fog of depression fighting a war over your heart. Her music is hanging out in the cold parking lot of an adandoned strip mall with the other weirdos. Her music is finding beauty in the darkness.
I discovered her music at a huge turning point in my life last year. I hope you enjoy 🖤🖤
Aug 26, 2024
I’ve thought about this waaaaay too much.
at the end of my movie, im old, completely alone, and dying of lung cancer. in the hospital, my heart flatlines. The nurse has left the room, busy with other patients. No one notices I’ve died.
This song starts playing. the credits start rolling over the following scene:
cut to me on a vast, empty road somewhere in rural idaho. a border collie leads me down the vacant road. she runs back and forth across the road, barking at me, telling me to keep following her. we are utterly free. no one but the two of us. i smile.
Jul 19, 2024
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Jan 29, 2024
😔
Where are they now? I hope they’re doing ok, collecting memories and loading up a bank of recs they can share when they return to this app. I miss them so much.
Sep 25, 2024
18th of October 2024
19:30/7:30 pm
Lord Nelson's pub | SE1 0LR
I'm gonna be there, tiff's gonna be there and we'd also love for you to be there.
please DM either one of us, reply to this rec or join the discord server if you're interested.
Oct 5, 2024