Jun 8 -
Graceland, by The Tallest Man on Earth and written by Paul Simon via Texturism.
This song is really resonating with me right now - not only because I am from Memphis and understand all of the amazing things that it has to offer (the history, the people, the music, the hole in the wall places that will forever be in my heart), but because Paul Simon writes this: “And I see losing love is like a window in your heart. Everybody sees you’re blown apart. Everybody sees the wind blow.”
Paul Simon is so very right, although I didn’t realize it until lately. In my mind, I was putting on my best smile (despite the fact that there were tears at the most unexpected of times. My favorite was when I started crying while being randomly frisked at the airport in St. Louis. That poor security guard had no idea what he was in for when he pulled the brunette in the neatly ironed sundress aside). Here is the amazing part though. Strangers (complete and utter strangers) have come up to me and said the most amazing and heartfelt things in airports, restaurants, on the walking trail, and other random places. At the time, I couldn’t understand where it was all coming from. I’m typically not open to long, stranger conversations at all. However, each of these people came up to me, said what they had to say, and then just walked away. It was a beautiful and amazing thing. They each reacted to me in different ways, some with a two line story, and others recognizing some light in me that I thought had been extinguished over the past month. So, thank you strangers. I guess you could all see the wind blow through that hole in my heart - the one I was desperately trying to patch up. However, it takes time, and even though my head and my heart aren’t quite where I want them to be, and I’m sad, my light is still there. I’m still finding reasons to laugh, and I have an amazing group of friends who have been the best life raft imaginable.
For now, the space between means laughing more, listening to records and dancing, spending as much time outside as I can (until every single freckle on the bridge of my nose appears in the summertime), running farther, traveling, reading, watching old movies, being inspired by the little things, challenging myself, and appreciating time spent with those I love. My name is Shelby. Welcome to my random collection of words, photos, and music.
