Things I Love: "Black Friday" by Tom Odell

Photo credit to Tom Odell and his team

Every now and then, a song comes along that completely knocks me out.And yet, that barely does justice to the beauty that is Tom Odell's new song, "Black Friday."

It's almost too special a song to me to share, but here I am. This song just reaches down into the deepest, gooeiest, most desperate parts of myself and makes me just feel. It makes me miss childhood, my father, and those early days when I used to listen to Tom's music, back when my sister and I were just discovering records and his first album was on constant rotation in some corner of the house.

I don't know what it is about this song, but it makes me want to get connected with things I used to love. To go back to simplicity, to delight in the beauty of a sunrise or pen on paper, rather than constantly looking to entertain myself online.

I love how art can inspire so many different things in as many different listeners. There's something just so beautiful and powerful about music. It's also nostalgic to, 10 years later, come back to Tom's music after a time away. Hello, old friend!

Take my hand and hold it gently

up against your cheek,

30

Today, I turn 30.

It feels odd to be embarking on the start of a new decade on a ho-hum Tuesday morning. 29 was easily the hardest year of my life and I'm hoping 30 will bring some much-needed peace. It's weird to be celebrating my birthday in the midst of a season of grief, but at least this year marks a new beginning.

I hope this next year, this next decade, is full of laughter, friendship, gardening, writing, creating, and Jesus. Also, music!

You can find all of my old birthday posts that I've been compiling since I was 21 here. (I can't believe I've kept the Birthday Post™ a tradition for so long!)

Till next year,