Goodbye Summer, Revisited

We’re going to hop into a time machine for this one. A little over two years ago, I wrote a post called, “Goodbye Summer.” It talked about my broken heart after an ended (short-lived) relationship and really dug into how the song “Goodbye Summer” by Danielle Bradbery encapsulated my feelings of the situation. 

I wrote in the post, “I channel every emotion I have into the song, listen to it 100 times, then at some point, when that song comes on, the emotions that go with it are just memories…just like the experience the song so perfectly represented.”

Fast forward to the other day. I was in my office in the evening and had Alexa shuffle my “Summer Rewind” playlist that Spotify created because it’s a BOMB playlist. This song was the first one to pop up. 

I found myself thinking back and how when I first heard this song, I cried my way through it. You know that GIF of Ariel leaning against the post on the dock because she’s so upset that Prince Eric is going off on a boat to marry Vanessa aka Ursula the sea witch? 

Yeah – that was how I felt when I first heard this song. But as I listened to it in my office the other day, I found myself CELEBRATING that broken heart. Exactly two months after writing that post, Derek and I went on our first date. We just celebrated our two year anniversary. 

Don’t @ me, I know that this GIF happens when Ariel thinks Eric wants to ride away in the boat with her then she gets sad on the dock – but you get my point. I’m happy now. That’s my point. Okay, carry on. 

At the end of that post I talked about trusting God’s plan even when it’s frustrating. My goodness, isn’t it wonderful how perfectly He works in our lives? Two years ago that song broke me. Now I find myself with my hands lifted, jamming to it, saying “Thank you, thank you, thank you Lord for breaking my heart.” Because what he had prepared for me has been the best thing that’s ever happened to me. 

Of course it’s still hard. Of course there are still times where I have trouble seeing and living His plan. But man oh man is it worth it. And all I have to do is play that song to know it. 

Oh, and Derek? I love you. I thank God every single day for you. 

And I found another GIF from The Little Mermaid for you. *Winks*