by Natalie Hill, centerspread editor

     Ending my summer as most students do, I found myself basking the pleasant air conditioning of my house to avoid the scalding Texas sun. I was completely overwhelmed with boredom.

     In hopes of entertaining myself, I began to go through the boxes of things my mother had accumulated through her high school and college years.

     I came across a doodle she had drawn, looking as if it had been traced and retraced in a math class of some sort. Embedded into the penciled miniature flowers, I found the words “It’s the end of the strain, it’s the joy in your heart.”

     Curious of the meaning of these words, and knowing that my mother and I share a similarity in our artistry and commonly sketch lyrics, I googled the phrase and came across ‘60s sensation Art Garfunkel’s “Water of March”. After buying the aged song on iTunes, I fell in love with the simplicity of what Garfunkel had to say.

     Garfunkel, in a monotonic and rhythmic sound, lists the simple things in life that make us feel. Whether its joy, fear, sorrow, peacefulness or the randomness we all come across, Garfunkel tells us everything will come together and ultimately give us joy in our heart.

     I reflected on this. I looked over at the past year and what will change with the coming year, considering college is approaching and I will have to leave behind the life I know. Both good and bad things have defined my life and sculpted my relationships and after the deep therapy session with myself, I have come to conclude that I love the life I live.

     “It’s the little things in life that matter most,” my mother had said when I asked her about the tattered drawing from her teenage days, a life so long ago. She told me how she remembered singing along to “Waters of March” with her best friends as they prepped themselves for their very own homecoming parade. I imagined her, big blonde hair, dancing along to Garfunkel with her friend Marilee, just as I do, singing along to The Format, and attempting to harmonize with my own best friends.

     And then it hit me. The generational music gap is nothing more changes in beats and words used as expression. Art Garfunkel listed the happy things in life and so does Owl City, The Format, The Rocket Summer and Rooney. I hope that in 30 years, my daughter will come across my old CDs, notes and doodles and find the bliss in my taste of music. 

     For now, though, I’ll make memories with my friends in hopes that that day will come.