December 28th
Click to listen to Dec 28th
This track does such a phenomenal job of capturing what it feels like to be in one of the many weird limbo states that you can find yourself in not only at the end of the year but during different milestones of life. Christmas and the New Year could be replaced with many moments and situations that you have or will experience. 12/28 represents that comfort of your current situation where you can learn from and reflect on your past but you may be having mixed feelings about what is coming next.
“This week’s strange, done with Christmas while the New Year still awaits,
The tree is up, the lights are on but it’s not the same, and it seems to know,
the lights give off a tired glow
It feels strange, the realization that the year is finally done,
anticipation for the year that’s yet to come, and I’m thinking slow, but putting on the best of shows”
As I have been looking at the Christmas decorations the last few days I have been thinking about this a lot and have felt it. After Christmas is over there a certain magic is simply gone; the decorations appear dull, Christmas songs don’t fill you with the same excitement and joy that they did just a few days ago. It does all feel strange as you try to process everything that you are coming to realize. It can be a lot as you are “thinking slow” through everything and contemplating what the next year might bring.
“'Cause here it’s safe to assume, that I did the best I could
It’s safe to assume, that the New Year could be good
Feels safer to stay here, on 12/28 here, 3 days away from New Years Eve,
Where there’s always tomorrow, and time left to borrow, until the years finally complete,
Where time can stand still, do what it will here, just for this week”
While you are in this weird limbo it's certainly not risky to assume you did your best or that things could be good next year but you have no way to know. Life can completely change in an instant and it quite often does so in ways that are completely out of your control. But does it really do you any good to worry about those things? I prefer assuming that the New Year will be good and living each day as if that is the truth, at least that is what I try to do.
“The 28th sun just set but the day has somehow just begun
That eager darkness that reminds me of someone
Pulls me into chat before I noticed time has past
If I could stay, somewhere here between the years that never come,
it’s somewhat clear I fear I’ll never do enough. So keep me in the day, where I’m well enough to be ok.”
This is the part of the track that I can remember being in total awe and astonishment the first time I heard it and each and every time I listen when this part begins I have to stop whatever I am doing and just listen. This adds such weight to the song and ties everything together in an exceptional way. I have much to say about this part so if you don’t want to read my attempt at getting philosophical you should exit now. This hit me like a sledgehammer because it made me realize I am currently very near the weird limbo of my life known as middle age. This first line “sun just set but the day has somehow just begun” made me think how the sun has set on the first half of my life yet it also feels as if it's just started. I feel that so much of the first half of living was spent trying to figure things out and while I still wouldn’t say that I have everything figured out I have certainly figured out much more than younger me. Having said that though; it is impossible to look back without thinking about the ifs and maybes, the things you wish you did or wish you did differently. So when I heard “if I could stay, somewhere here between the years that never come” I felt as if it was written for me. It feels so comfortable in the now and there are times where I would like to just stay here and not have to worry what has or what will happen. Right here and now “I’m well enough to be okay” and the “fear I’ll never do enough” seems non-existent. As great as that sounds though that just isn’t life.
“Cuz here it’s safe to assume that I did the best I could
It's safe to assume that the new year could be good
It feels safer to stay here 1228 here 3 days away from new years eve
There's always tomorrow and time left to borrow until the years finally complete
Time can stand still here, do what it will here, just for the week
Yea time can stand still here, do what it will here, just for this week”
There is this sincerity and realness to this track that doesn’t appear in most Christmas songs I am used to hearing and it is refreshing. It had me thinking about many things and while not all of them were the most joyous of topics it was what I needed. When all is said and done each time I finish listening to this track I am filled with a renewed sense of hope for the future as unknown and tumultuous as it may be.
