In the week leading up to Taylor Swift’s Red re-release, my feed was flooded with memes and jokes like, “who wants to break my heart before the Red re-release?”
I’m sure I’m not the only one who had the misfortune of actually going through a breakup that week. I was already eagerly anticipating one of the best albums of all time to be brought back to life with new and refreshing songs added from the “vault.” After going through a breakup just days before this iconic moment in pop culture, it made me appreciate Red in a whole new light.
“You kept me like a secret, but I kept you like an oath.” ( All Too Well )
The re-release of this incredible album triggered a lot of reflecting for me post-breakup. Taylor’s lyrics are poetic and relatable, especially when it comes to wondering how things can change so quickly in a relationship. One lesson I’ve managed to learn is that sometimes we want to tell ourselves that there’s equal effort being given, but in reality we’re more invested than our partners. The guy who refuses to label or define things is not taking it slow- he has commitment-phobia. This lyric strikes me like a lightening bolt, because it perfectly summarizes the feeling of being completely in love with someone who really only “likes” you back.
“How can you know everything at 18 and nothing at 22?” ( Nothing New )
When Red first came out, I saw Taylor live on tour and came decked out in a ridiculously festive fan outfit. I was a Swiftie through and through, and even at 13 the album meant the world to me. I obviously knew nothing about love or relationships and was still a kid, but it felt the heartbroken soundtrack was so beautiful that anyone could sing along.
Present day, it feels a little bit uncanny that the re-release is happening when I’m actually 22- the exact age Taylor was when she created feel-good anthems like the song “22.” It was a celebration of youth and joyful recovery from the heartaches she’d faced at 21. 22 has personally been my favorite age, but sometimes I reflect on how much I’ve really learned. Was I more certain of myself before college? How have the years shaped me? As I approach my graduation and my 23rd birthday in the spring, this lyric is potently relatable- sometimes it’s easy to feel like you’re more clueless now than you were when you were a teenager.
“Does it make you feel sad, that the love that you’re looking for is the love that you had?”
( I Bet You Think About Me )
The best way to try to cope with any bad breakup is to try your best to remember that you’re uniquely you. No one can replace you, and you need to have enough confidence to keep that in mind when you’re second guessing things. Only you know how special your memories together were, and just like Taylor sings about in this song, you’re better off this way. Focus on working toward a happier future, and never forget that you’re worth more than you were getting out of a toxic situation.