When We Were Young

https://youtu.be/DDWKuo3gXMQ When Adele released Hello, I thought it was a good, solid song. It felt familiar and comfortable because it wasn't a huge departure from where she'd been four years ago. I thought the video was aesthetically beautiful but the song itself did not take up residence in my head. I listened to it a few times and then was pretty much over it.

This morning, I watched the video of When We Were Young recorded live at The Church Studios and I'm not gonna lie--it made me teary. Yes, it's gray and rainy and I'm a little more tired than usual but none of that takes away from the emotional resonance of the song. Maybe it's the way she goes from notes in her lower register to those highs that make me smile and nod and whisper, "Yes." Maybe it's because it is a song about loss that feels less dark and more hopeful than her signature ballads. Or maybe it's because I've been feeling nostalgic and the lyrics speak to me in ways that some of her other songs haven't:

Let me photograph you in this light In case it is the last time That we might be exactly like we were Before we realized We were sad of getting old It made us restless I'm so mad I'm getting old It makes me reckless

This morning on the way to school, Zeca said, "Can you believe it's almost 2016?" I said that I couldn't and made a throwaway "time flies" comment and she said, "I think time goes by slowly." I said, "Some days go slowly but the years go by fast." Recently, Luisa and I were talking about our house and when we'd done various things to it and at different points in the conversation, each of us uttered, "Has it been that long?" Yes, it has. In March, we will have owned our house for 20 years. In April, we'll celebrate our 23rd anniversary. Our first born is 14 and our baby is almost 11. Time is passing and sometimes catches me by surprise.

I can't think too much about Adele singing about getting old when she is just 27 and I'm not so much angry about the passage of time as I am in awe but this song is a gorgeous reflection and after listening to it twice, I know it's going to stick with me for some time.