THE HARDEST PART

As we packed our bags into the car, blasted music, and made our first coffee stop of the 6-hour road trip, I resonated with the lyrics like I never had before. I really thought I understood what she meant when she said “the hardest part of going home is facing that you’re getting older and everything you’ve ever known is over”. I felt a deep sadness around the idea of growing older and leaving my old self behind. At the beginning of our drive, my heart ached for the person I used to be and for the idea of never experiencing my past again. I never expected this feeling in the way it hit me this time, but the outcome was beautiful. 

On November 4^th, my roommates and I made the spontaneous decision to drive to Los Angeles to see Noah Cyrus on The Hardest Part tour, and I will forever be grateful that we did. It sounds cheesy to say, but this trip was everything I needed to reassure myself that everything will be okay, that life is constantly changing but always for the better. I once thought that when Noah said “everything you’ve ever known is over” it was heartbreaking and earth-shattering, but after hearing her sing those lyrics live, spending the next morning at the beach, and driving home into the sunset it became clear to me that those words are not heartbreaking but eye-opening. 

It can be hard to face the fact you’re getting older, things are changing, and you can’t carry the past into your future, but once you can find peace in that idea life becomes free. I spent the weekend coming to terms with the idea that everything I’ve ever known is over, but it was not sad; it was everything I needed.

People talk about post-concert depression and how the day after a concert you feel this void where the excitement and pure happiness from the previous night used to be, but this was not the case for me. As we drove home through pink skies and breathtaking mountains, my heart was so full: full of love and contentment for the first time in a long time. Looking back at the way I felt on the drive to Los Angeles I never would have thought that my feelings could change so drastically in a short 48 hours, but they did. The words that once made my heart ache brought me solitude and comfort. 

It is interesting to me how one last-minute plan to go to a concert could turn into an eye-opening experience. It really put things into perspective for me; it made me see that life can be whatever I want it to be. I can find fulfillment in things that feel so simple, and I never knew that such a small decision could cause such deep reflection. So, buy those concert tickets, pack your bags, gather your people, and drive into the sunset. Open your heart to the possibility of self-discovery. 

• growing up
• Noah Cyrus
• road trip
• self reflection