Ever had the feeling that whenever a song starts, a voice
inside your head goes “Yes. This is it.” You don’t have to skip ahead to see
whether you like it or not. You just know you will. And a bond is formed between
you and the song. It will always be one of your special songs. You can’t ever
find it in yourself to delete it; even when you’re running low on memory. It
always survives transitions between mobiles, and iPods. Even when you lost your
whole backup, you find it stored safely in some other folder.
The song comes with a memory. It can be the song you listened
to when you dreamed about her, and later listened to together, her head on your
shoulder. It may have helped you get over him -assuring you there’s someone
much better- it may have been the one you and friend listened to and danced
along.
It doesn’t matter. Whenever you listen to it, everything
changes. You may be in the Dombivli - CST train at 9 in the morning, your nose pressed
against a hairy armpit, and when the songs comes on, the song makes it better.
Sometimes, a song is forgotten. Lost between torrents of new
ones. Then once, by chance, you are awake at 2 am in the morning, just about to
go to sleep, and you find it in your playlist. And you play it. And it still
feels the same. It doesn’t matter that it’s late. You’re tired and have to get
up in the next morning. Assignments are pending. You have a lot of unfinished
work. All forgotten. The song moves you.
It takes you to that special place in your universe. The lyrics, the music.
Everything is just perfect. As if it was made for you.
Your dad comes out to see why you haven’t slept yet. He sees
you with your eyes closed. Earphones plugged in. drumming away. Lost. Happy. He
just turns of the lights and goes back. As he comes back, your mother is awake.
He smiles and holds her hand. She smiles back. He’s thinking of a song. Their
song. And she knows it too. She can see it in his eyes. They used to dance to it on their honeymoon.
And even after all these years. Even though everything has changed so much. The
song remains the same. The romance, the joy, still the same. Because families,
friends may drift apart, money can come and go. Studies may erode away your
heart. But the magic of music is eternal.