65. Zack Villere - “Sand People”

There are certain songs out there that strike a chord within one’s soul that’s just sort of hard to explain or define to others. This jam is one of them, but if you know anything about me, then you know I’m going to try and explain it anyway.

It reminds me of those golden days of youth, or rather the Goldilocks Zone of youth. That transient stage of life where one is given the freedom of adulthood, but hasn’t yet experienced the full onslaught of responsibility that is supposed to go along with it. It’s a zone that is most certainly a byproduct of privilege, but rather than being a scar or a blemish that should be eradicated from society, I feel that its a one of those byproducts that should be extended to everyone, one that I think would enrich the world and make it more thoughtful, relaxed, and just generally more well-adjusted place to live.

At its heart, it’s a stage of acclimation. Your mind has emerged from the confinement of childhood, and for a brief moment you get to explore life and existence free of worry or stress. You just get to sort of float, free of life’s marionette strings, not yet caught within the wheels of the economy and the ruts of expectation. You get to discover and think for yourself, exploring the inner world or the metaphysical as you explore the outer and physical world as well.

It’s a beautiful place to be, but it’s also incredibly fleeting. The shadows of life and reality are constantly emerging from the cracks and crevices of contentment, and although you’re consistently trying to avoid or fend them off, they eventually find a way to overwhelm you. I imagine these shadows as the evil little people made of sand. It’s the personification of anxiety, and since for me this stage of life coincided with many a beach day spent high and in the company of good friends, this analogy takes on special meaning. It plucks that chord in just the right way. Here’s to hoping it does the same for you.