I was blessed to get tickets to take my daughter to see Taylor Swift tomorrow night in San Jose. She is excited and, to be honest, so am I. We both love Taylor. We are going for two nights so that we can relax and just enjoy ourselves, staying at a hotel within walking distance so that we have less travel drama and just enjoy the magic of all the concert related drama.
My admiration for this young woman is boundless. She is a powerhouse, talented, thoughtful, artistic and has worked so very hard to bring joy, relation and understanding to so many with her music. It does appear there is almost no end to her talent. And I am in awe. At her tenacity, at her self awareness and knowledge and drive.
I watched one of her reels awhile ago when she stated that she had trouble feeling like a person. And I got it. I mean I have trouble feeling like a person and I am no Taylor Swift. I think she was saying that it is hard to remember who you are with all the pomp and circumstance. She is larger than life, me not so much. But I get lost in my own life too. All the damn time. So it is hard to imagine how Taylor stays the person she is when the lights are not on, she is not on stage and she is just being herself, no one watching. I can imagine that person has changed greatly over the years. I wonder if she misses who she used to be? I do. I mean there isn’t much to be done about it, but I do miss those younger, less jaded versions of myself sometimes. I wonder if she does too?
I am looking forward to time spent with my daughter and for the opportunity to see this show (thank you Hayley and Chris!) but I would be remiss to not send some prayers out to Taylor and her crew. It is hard what they are doing, on every level. Hard to be famous, hard to work with and around fame, and hard to keep millions of people happy and engaged. And herein lies Taylor’s best talent to date, we all love her. Yes I am sure she has her share of haters. Public figures will always have them. There is no avoiding it, but no one can deny that she is a young, beautiful, talented artist and business woman. She has created a dynasty. So I am very grateful that she once upon a time “realized some bigger dreams...”
Blazing your own trail is not easy. And you miss a great deal of things that everyone else gets to enjoy. There are always regrets. I guess what I hope for Ms. Swift is that where she is currently in her life is worth it to her. Not because of the money, fame or celebrity, in spite of those things. When she takes off all the costumes and make up and leaves the bright, white spot light, is she happy? Was all she gave up worth the effort? When she lies down at night, does she find contentment with who she is and the way her life is now?
I pray it is so. I hope she is. It would be such a travesty for her to make so many people happy and for her to not also relish in the joy of what she creates. I think she does but I also know all too well that it comes with a cost. There are no free rides in this life and all that glitters is not without pain, suffering, heartbreak and the pangs of a life unlived - the attendant regrets that come with making choices and in so doing, removing so many other choices along the way.
I hope as we walk into Levi Stadium tomorrow night, the excitement and awe we feel is something Taylor gets to share. That she is happy, content and free of suffering. That she can take one moment to stand back and look at what she created for all of us, and for herself. She is Taylor Swift, icon, legend, woman. She has blazed a path for all of us. To flower into our best womaness. To boldly be female, to boldly be ourselves. She has built an empire, I just pray that it makes her happy, and the second it doesn’t, she will put herself first and have the courage to do something else if she so desires.
She is a person. She is more than who she is in her songs, music and on stage. Somewhere inside of her there is the little girl, the teen, the young adult, and the emerging woman. I know this is true because it is true for all of us who are lucky enough to be this amazing conglomeration of woman.
Taylor is the WOMAN...and that is way better than ever being The Man.
