This is a great song about nostalgia. A lot of people have been talking about the last four lines, which I agree do an amazing job of conveying the emotion of nostalgia. Even if something was fairly routine when it happened, the memory of it can sometimes grow in your mind and take on an even greater importance retrospectively. We expect time to make our memories weaker, so the last four lines reflect on the positive aspect of nostalgia.
But I also love the two lines before it, which people haven't mentioned as much. The leaves... "took flight as we passed so long ago / but a short time I know"
This is the sadder half of nostalgia. Sometimes the emotion of the memory can make it seem like it took place ages ago, even though intellectually you're aware that it wasn't that long ago. I love the line "but a short time, I know." Even while he's cherishing this pleasant memory, he's aware that it's part of a much larger life full of experiences that will continue for many years, and that in the long run this will only be small part of his life. But it still seems so big right now.
This is a great song about nostalgia. A lot of people have been talking about the last four lines, which I agree do an amazing job of conveying the emotion of nostalgia. Even if something was fairly routine when it happened, the memory of it can sometimes grow in your mind and take on an even greater importance retrospectively. We expect time to make our memories weaker, so the last four lines reflect on the positive aspect of nostalgia.
But I also love the two lines before it, which people haven't mentioned as much. The leaves... "took flight as we passed so long ago / but a short time I know"
This is the sadder half of nostalgia. Sometimes the emotion of the memory can make it seem like it took place ages ago, even though intellectually you're aware that it wasn't that long ago. I love the line "but a short time, I know." Even while he's cherishing this pleasant memory, he's aware that it's part of a much larger life full of experiences that will continue for many years, and that in the long run this will only be small part of his life. But it still seems so big right now.