Fighting Dragons.

This is absolutely one of my favorite songs, probably because it reminds me of my crazy-wonderful friends throughout the various stages of my life.

I have been inordinately blessed by always having been surrounded by incredible people. I'm not sure how that happened, or why, because goodness knows I haven't deserved it. But I've had such amazing friends, whether forever friends, dating relationships, or seasonal friendships.

So this song really makes me think of all my fabulously spotless friendships through the years -- from those lifelong relatives/friends, to my precious kindergarten & elementary school peeps, to those crazy kids from d'Iberville, to church friends from over the years, to the BSU crowd at J.D., to the Melrose Place apartment buds in Hattiesburg, to the crew at First Baptist Jackson, to my Brandon girls, to all the lovely Baton Rouge cajun peeps, to the priceless once third-party ancillary friendships that thankfully just stuck despite ended relationships, to the many friendships I've developed in work settings along the way.

For those forever friends... You know who you are, and why you're in that category, and why you couldn't shake me if you tried. Many of my relatives are best friends, and my sister is at the top of that list. Why I got to grow up with her, and with my cousins who are hilariously integral to my world, I will never know. But I'm grateful beyond measure for that. There's nothing quite like knowing you'll be loved unconditionally by the people who have literally known you your whole life.

For those seasonal friendships: I used to really be confused by and hate that friendships and relationships ever had to end. I wondered why everything can't be forever. (Sometimes I'm 6. It could be worse.) But what you contributed to my life at the time.... wow. I'm incredulously thankful for what we shared, and I've grown to be so thankful that it had its own timeframe. Some things aren't meant to last, and would not end well if they did last longer. I pray you're in a good place, that your memories of our time together are as sweet as mine, and that you're contributing the best of you, even now.

For those who left this world long before I made enough memories with you: Thank you for sharing yourself with me. I'll see you again one day, and our time won't ever end.

To all: I'm amazed to have been and to be part of your world. I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you!

Lyrics to "Long Live" by Taylor Swift (video embedded below):


I said remember this moment
In the back of my mind
The time we stood with our shaking hands
The crowds in stands went wild

We were the kings and the queens
And they read off our names
The night you danced like you knew our lives
Would never be the same

You held your head like a hero
On a history book page
It was the end of a decade
But the start of an age

Long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered

I said remember this feeling
I passed the pictures around
Of all the years that we stood there on the sidelines
Wishing for right now

We were the kings and the queens
You traded your baseball cap for a crown
When they gave us our trophies
And we held them up for our town
And the cynics were outraged
Screaming, "this is absurd"
'Cause for a moment a band of thieves in ripped up jeans got to rule the world

Long live the walls we crashed through
All the kingdom lights shined just for me and you
I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid

Long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life
Fighting dragons with you
I was screaming, "long live the look on your face"
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered

Hold on to spinning around
Confetti falls to the ground
May these memories break our fall

Can you take a moment
And promise me this:
That you'll stand by me forever
But if God forbid fate should step in
And force us into a goodbye
If you have children someday
When they point to the pictures
Please tell them my name
Tell them how the crowds went wild
Tell them how I hope they shine

Long live the walls we crashed through
I had the time of my life with you
Long, long live the walls we crashed through
All the candlelight shined just for me and you
And I was screaming, "long live all the magic we made"
And bring on all the pretenders
I'm not afraid

Singing long live all the mountains we moved
I had the time of my life
Fighting dragons with you
And long, long live the look on your face
And bring on all the pretenders
One day we will be remembered