(for my fellow daydreamers and storytellers <3)
When I was little, I loved creating stories out of the songs I heard on the radio. Staring out the window, the vibrations from the speakers pulsing through me, my imagination was endless. I think good music has the ability to transport you from reality into a mind-made movie. The lyrics are your script, and the rest is up to you. And so, the interpretation of songs, but really the stories they tell, have become my favorite pastime — I know little me is beyond stoked that I’ve continued to shamelessly daydream. So, in this publication, I’ll be sharing with you my imagined story of soulmates told in Mirrors by Justin Timberlake — his oldies never missed!
[Verse 1]
“Aren’t you somethin’ to admire?
‘Cause your shine is somethin’ like a mirror
And I can’t help but notice
You reflect in this heart of mine
If you ever feel alone and
The glare makes me hard to find
Just know that I’m always
Parallel on the other side”
| [Verse 1]: A boy is walking along the beach with his best friend. They’ve known each other since they were kids and understand each other better than they understand themselves. He points out the kids splashing around in the water, and as she smiles at them, he stares at her, lost in her presence. All these years and her soul remained the only one that ever understood his. In the back of his mind, he hears her call his name, breaking him from his trance. He looks at her, brows knitted. She rolls her eyes and nudges him in the side. |
[Pre Chorus]
“‘Cause with your hand in my hand and a pocket full of soul
I can tell you there’s no place we couldn’t go
Just put your hand on the glass
I’ll be tryna pull you through
You just gotta be strong”
| [Verse 1]: & [Pre-Chorus]: They continue down the stretch of sand and stop at a lifeguard tower. They climb the ladder and sit down on the deck, their legs dangling off the edge, arms behind them, and palms resting on the bare wood. The sun starts to set, and it spotlights them under a soft beam of light. When he turns to look at her, she turns away. He frowns. “Are you okay?” She hesitates, but shakes her head. He knows her well enough to know she won’t talk about it, but he places his hand over hers, reminding her that he’s here to listen. She stares out at the darkening waters, but squeezes his hand. He squeezes back. |
[Chorus]
“‘Cause I don’t wanna lose you now
I’m lookin’ right at the other half of me
The vacancy that sat in my heart
Is a space that now you hold
Show me how to fight for now
And I’ll tell you, baby, it was easy
Comin’ back here to you once I figured it out
You were right here all along”
| [Chorus]:
They sit listening to the waves crash and the cries of seagulls. His eyes wander back to her as his mind wanders back to when they first met. He was lonely and lost after his mother passed, but her friendship led him from the darkness and became his light. And over the years, his heart became full of laughter, smiles, silly dances, and memories that centered around her. She made life worth living. And he wanted to remind her of that, like she had done for him. |
[Refrain]
“It’s like you’re my mirror
(Oh)
My mirror’s staring back at me (Oh)
I couldn’t get any bigger (Oh)
With anyone else beside me (Oh)
And now it’s clear as this promise
That we’re making
Two reflections into one
‘Cause it’s like you’re my mirror
(Oh)”
| [Refrain]: “Dance with me.” He reaches a hand out, and she bites back a laugh. “What?” He smiles, and she rolls her eyes, but takes his hand. They stand still on the deck, her hand still in his. She laughs when he starts to move, his rhythm not quite there. “You’re such a dork.” She then starts to dance, guiding him with her movements. The sun is almost gone, and they are mere silhouettes on the tower. Minutes pass, but still, they are laughing and dancing, and the heaviness in her eyes is gone. There is nothing but starlight shining in them, and she smiles to herself because she knows why. They dance until the moon is out, and until the memories of their youth turn into memories of today. In the darkness that falls over them, their connection shines bright. He looks at her, and she smiles. She doesn’t need to say it, because he knows. All along, it’s been them. And in this moment, their adventures, their heartbreaks, their everything, becomes one. They are promised by a love that their souls reflect. |
[Full story]
A boy is walking along the beach with his best friend. They’ve known each other since they were kids and understand each other better than they understand themselves. He points out the kids splashing around in the water, and as she smiles at them, he stares at her, lost in her presence. All these years and her soul remained the only one that ever understood his. In the back of his mind, he hears her call his name, breaking him from his trance. He looks at her, brows knitted. She rolls her eyes and nudges him in the side.
They continue down the stretch of sand and stop at a lifeguard tower. They climb the ladder and sit down on the deck, their legs dangling off the edge, arms behind them, and palms resting on the bare wood. The sun starts to set, and it spotlights them under a soft beam of light. When he turns to look at her, she turns away.
He frowns. “Are you okay?”
She hesitates, but shakes her head. He knows her well enough to know she won’t talk about it, but he places his hand over hers, reminding her that he’s here to listen. She stares out at the darkening waters, but squeezes his hand. He squeezes back.
They sit listening to the waves crash and the cries of seagulls. His eyes wander back to her as his mind wanders back to when they first met. He was lonely and lost after his mother passed, but her friendship led him from the darkness and became his light. And over the years, his heart became full of laughter, smiles, silly dances, and memories that centered around her. She made life worth living. And he wanted to remind her of that, like she had done for him.
“Dance with me.”
He reaches a hand out, and she bites back a laugh.
“What?”
He smiles, and she rolls her eyes, but takes his hand. They stand still on the deck, her hand still in his. She laughs when he starts to move, his rhythm not quite there.
“You’re such a dork.”
She then starts to dance, guiding him with her movements. The sun is almost gone, and they are mere silhouettes on the tower. Minutes pass, but still, they are laughing and dancing, and the heaviness in her eyes is gone. There is nothing but starlight shining in them, and she smiles to herself because she knows why.
They dance until the moon is out, and until the memories of their youth turn into memories of today. In the darkness that falls over them, their connection shines bright. He looks at her, and she smiles. She doesn’t need to say it, because he knows. All along, it’s been them. And in this moment, their adventures, their heartbreaks, their everything, becomes one.
They are promised by a love that their souls reflect.
sources:
1.Genius Annotations (2013, February 12). Justin Timberlake – Mirrors Lyrics | Genius Lyrics. Genius. https://genius.com/Justin-timberlake-mirrors-lyrics