noah and the whale

While walking home from the bus stop today, I had my iPod on shuffle, and the song ’5 Years’ Time’ by Noah and the Whale came up. As I listened, my thoughts lazily started wandering, and then came back to tell me that in 5 years’ time, I will be 22. With them, they brought the realization that, holy crap, the best years of my life are lined up in front of me. I’m 17–just starting to find an equilibrium between how old I feel and how old people see me. I’m leaning towards a life of my own; no longer just a high school student but someone whose voice is starting to count.

Shortly afterwards, I was struck with such a clear image of what I could be like in the future that I actually stopped walking for a moment. I’m in a city in Europe somewhere, in what seems to be a wide street or a square or some sort, surrounded by beautiful old architechture. I’m in Converse and a pair of old jeans which have colourful paint over them in the form of my friends’ hand prints. My hair is up in a messy bun, and my shirt is a loose white blouse. It’s a gorgeous, sunny spring day, and I’m talking to an old friend who I haven’t seen in what might be years. We’re catching up on eachother, and I explain to her that I’m in university–I’ve totally gone for it and am studying music composition. Images come to mind of where I’m living: a 3rd floor flat in the inner city, a 15-minute walk from the uni. My roommate is an artist and her work covers the walls. I have a job in a small clothing boutique round the corner, which pays well and gets me excellent discounts, and I work it on the days when I don’t have classes. On the weekends, I’ve managed to snag a gig with a local jazz/funk band as their singer, and we play every Saturday in a nearby cafe-cum-jazz club.  We attract a regular crowd which has been growing steadily.

The thing is, it doesn’t seem like a dream. It certainly sounds like one–but it isn’t. It’s a definite possibility, maybe even falling into the column of probability. All it takes to get me from here to there is a series of decisions, determination, and a sprinkling of magic power. These next few years are going to define the rest of my life…and I have all the resources to make them shine at my fingertips.

Here’s the song, 5 Years’ Time:

Enjoy.

~ by automaticbrainchild on January 17, 2009.