All too Well – Taylor Swift

 By: Sivamayuori Premnath

"Love is so short, forgetting is so long". Love is a strange feeling that has been experienced by most of us. The feelings of butterflies and rainbows were always there during a relationship but when it ends, that’s the pain that no one can ever describe.

 “I walked through the door with you
 The air was cold
 But something about it felt like home somehow”

The first few lines depict the feeling of belongingness and warmth that you get at the start of a relationship. It is all wide eyes and sweet words that melt each other's hearts. As listeners, we notice the great use of irony of air being cold but the love being warm. This sets the tone for the rest of the song. 

“You told me 'bout your past thinking your future was me” 

She and the mystery man start investing their time as their hearts open wide, love blooming. They start telling their past stories and build a foundation for the future. As listeners, we get a wide smile across our face because who doesn’t love ‘young love’? 

But as time goes on, one realizes the gaslighting that occurs in an abusive relationship.

“And I know it's long gone and that magic's not here no more”. 

But even with all the fights and blaming that goes on, one cannot easily forget the feelings invested in the relationship.

“And maybe we got lost in translation
Maybe I asked for too much
But maybe this thing was a masterpiece 'til you tore it all up 
Running scared, I was there
I remember it all too well” 

In this verse, listeners can identify the pain she goes through. The singer starts blaming herself for asking too much. This seems to be a pivotal moment in the song as it is relatable to listeners who feel like their expectations aren’t satisfied in a relationship. Listeners start to realize that these are red flags and as they scream “You deserve better”, the shift occurs in the singer’s story as well. She starts to realize her worth. As she looks at her partner, all she can see is RED. 

“Time won't fly, it's like I'm paralyzed by it
I'd like to be my old self again 
But I'm still trying to find it” 

Love has always been described as a heavenly feeling that brings smiles to each other's faces but as two sides of a coin, love can also be toxic. As we live through the singer’s final stages of love, we feel the pain that she deals with. But as her last few lines depict, she ends up searching for the light at the end of the tunnel.

To all the heartbroken, maybe it’s difficult for you right now. Maybe you have been bawling your eyes out every day. Maybe you still think of him/her and cry yourself to sleep. But trust me, it's going to get better. Time heals everything. You are going to be fine! Remember, the pain you experience can either consume you or strengthen you. The choice is yours. And finally, if this still hasn’t given hope to all the heartbroken, keep in mind that “to lose yourself in the process is much more tragic than the ‘titanic’ movie itself”






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