Lavender Haze
On Saturday 17 February, me and 96,000 of my friends attended Taylor Swift's Eras Tour at the MCG. It's now the evening of Monday 19 February and I am still in my Taylor Swift lavender haze.
I'm an OG Swiftie, becoming a super fan during the Red era. For me, her music has always sparked an insane amount of joy. You only have to look at my Spotify wrap ups to really understand that whether it's in the car, on a walk, folding washing, cooking, I will generally be listening to her.
Someone asked me today what was so great about her. I sarcastically said the better question would probably be to ask what's not so great about her. They genuinely admitted they didn't know much about her and really wanted to know why I loved her so much.
This person did not have 100 years to listen to the myriad of reasons why. That honour has been bestowed upon the ball and chain and he does a wonderful job of listening patiently or at least pretending to. It's his beige flag.
What I did say to her was that I think her songwriting is beautiful. I admire her so much for her business nous, her ability to be brave and challenge people and systems that aren't doing the right thing and for being unapologetically her.
The Amber’s version of this though? I mostly love that she loves love. Just like me. You can't write the best breakup anthems without having felt all the feels. I love that at 34, she is loving cheering her football playing BF on like a giddy teenager and smooching the shit out of him in front of millions people, because she is proud of him, because she can.
I met the B&C when I was 33. It took so long to find him. Maybe I went on to many dates but couldn't make them stay too, but really I think that I was just meant to meet him when I did. When I could appreciate the very good and kind and loving man that he is. After nearly 8 years together, I still have every single card he has ever given me. I have every single one of our wedding cards, because I still love reading all the love messages from our friends and family. When I have been away without him, I have barely let the Uber break before I am out the door and scrambling to get to see him because I have missed him.
In the most unrelatable, relatable of ways I completely get her making life busy and exhausting by flying places to be with him. To spend time with someone who brings her joy. That kind of feeling is one of the greatest things about being human and she is human, super human, but human all the same.
I love how much she loves her friendships. All different and unique, all supportive and true. She has grown humans exchanging friendship bracelets at her concerts, making people meet new people and interact. This is one of my favourite things to do too. The Eras tour was genuinely the friendliest place on earth, no bad vibes, all sequins and tulle and love heart glasses.
I love how much she loves her family. Nothing has bought me greater joy over the past 12 months in particular than fanning out over her with my niece who is in the early stages of her swiftiness. I FaceTimed her and her mum during their favourite songs and honestly got so much joy from watching their faces light up. My brother in law filmed them watching and I cried watching that, then cried laughing when my niece told my sister to shoosh when she started to belt out Lover. Full of love, but also don't ruin the vibe, a true swiftie.
I am so sad at how quickly the concert came and went. The announcement of her next Album in April will alleviate the post tour blues and thank crumbs for smart phones and social media to relive all the magic all over again, scream crying and all.
