Tuesday, February 24, 2015

On Nostalgia

Recently, I've been particularly enamored with the power of nostalgia. It began when I was at a Billy Joel concert last week and as the Piano Man belted out hit after hit from his career, moments of my childhood flashed through my mind. Driving to soccer games with my Dad, summers on the boat, sitting on the pink carpet of my bedroom waiting for songs to play on WALK (a popular long island radio station) so I could hit record on my red cassette player and get the song on tape... Billy Joel's music brought me back to moments and places from growing up that I hadn't thought about in ages.

And then I went to Washington D.C. for the weekend and the entire city served as a nostalgia explosion, each national monument, sidewalk or museum reminding me of some time in the past when I'd been there during the glorious years that were college. It filled me up with a joy so potent, I wish I could've bottled it up to save for later.

Nostalgia is pretty amazing. That a song, smell, place or object can suddenly transport you to another time and even make your insides tingle with the pleasantness of the memory feels quintessentially merry:) So this week I challenge you to indulge in something nostalgic. Play a loved-but-since-forgotten song or visit that former favorite place you no longer frequent and then pause for a moment to enjoy just how beautiful your own personal past is. Because even though life can't always be Billy Joel songs and college, it sure is nice to be able to go back and visit:)

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