Yearlong Song Challenge, Day 180: Brianna

Prompt: "A song about forever"

Selected by Brianna

"Fondly & Forever"

Liz Cooper

single, 2018

The Yearlong Song Challenge has created a bit of a time warp. I can remember sitting on the couch (the one I'm sitting on right now) trying to piece together my first submission. In my mind's eye, this was yesterday. But in the same instance, I can think of a million things that happened between then and now. How do all these things fit between yesterday and today? 

While it may feel like the appropriate time to tie in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar, I think I've said my fill about that one on this blog already. Instead, a moment for reflection on the year and YSC's role in it: 

Throughout this experience, I've been typing all my entries to a single Google Doc, and it's been fun watching it grow over time. With this final entry, the total page count lands at 105. A short story, of sorts, recounting the various flavors, ramblings, and sounds of the year. I'm looking forward to revisiting it in time; certainly it'll all feel like yesterday no matter when that is. 

I'd be a liar if I said this wasn't a challenging commitment. I know we didn't, like, swear a blood oath to this thing or anything, but it's good to hold yourself to something, ya know? Sometimes I'd spend 30 minutes staring at the prompt just trying to find some thread to my selection and entry. I'm glad for it though, truly. Writing is a muscle a lot of people forget to flex once they're out of school, so doing this felt like a chance at that again. Plus, I had found myself in a musical rut / echo chamber, and knew I was going to be too lazy to branch out on my own. In both these cases, YSC was a swift kick in the butt to do things I knew I wanted but failed to self-start with. 

So thanks for that! It's been a cool thing to be a part of, and has made this year especially memorable. 

I was getting ready to leave the house the other day and grabbed a scarf from my coat rack. I've been wearing it all over town this winter but only recently remembered where it came from. It was my old roommate's favorite scarf. She left it behind when she moved to Texas, presumably without a reason for it down south. Now, every time I bundle up, I think of her and it's a nice little moment of warmth right to the heart. Looking at the year ahead, I think I have a prediction: among the million little and big things that happen, there will be many moments sprinkled in that will make me think of our past year here. Maybe a song one of you chose, or the wisdom yous penned along with it; whatever it is, it'll be a nice little moment. If 2025 has the same energy the end of 2024 has had, we're all gonna need as man of those nice little moments as we can. 

Peace out YSC friends! Seeya next time.

Fondly and forever,

Brianna