Response to the US election: Hold fast.
7 Nov 2024
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Was it worth the 31 hour road trip?
Well, according to our youngest and most passionate Swifty - "It was the best night of my life!" And whilst it wasn't quite the best night of my life, being at the Taylor Swift Eras Tour concert was an experience I’ll never forget. It was a much appreciated immersion in collective joy and awe. And was absolutely worth the wait and the effort to get there.
It was my first ever stadium concert and very special to be there alongside my beautiful sparkling daughters Iluka (14) and Kailani (18) and lovely brother-in-law, Shane.
Even before we boarded the "Tay Tay express" - the joy was palpable as we connected with other much loved family members who also managed to get tickets for the Friday night show and then made our way to the train station alongside thousands of others.
Sydney trains did a phenomenal job coordinating the Tay Tay Express stream of free public transport of approximately 100,000 people (Blink 182 were also playing in the arena next door) - no cars needed! You can check out a cool time lapse of the mass movement of fans here
To be in the midst of the collective joy that danced, sang and expanded in waves through the stadium and surroundings was really quite extraordinary. It was the most I have smiled, danced and sang out loud for a long time (too long actually). What made this all the more special was experiencing this with my daughters. Iluka beside me screamed the lyrics to every song for three and a half hours and so did the majority of the 80,999 others in attendance (not to mention the thousands singing outside the stadium). Their voices in unison and smiles of joy and delight filled me with a welcome sense of possibility.
Whilst many Swifties in their late teens and older attended with their peers, I am heartened that so many other Mums, and Dads, Aunts, Uncles and Grandparents also had this opportunity to build connections and make memories with the young people in their life through the power of music. This was a shared experience that bridged across the generations.
Taylor Swift's music and lyrics have been a feature in our family for almost a decade now. Initially, I was quite closed off to it all. Over the years though, I've taken an interest, listened more and have found that the music, especially the lyrics have catalysed many important conversations and beautiful moments of connection. Conversations about patriarchy, politics and privilege. Conversations about respectful relationships, consent, the art of storytelling and the pitfalls of celebrity culture and our media landscape. Over the years, there have been many rich opportunities for reflection for me too as a woman and a mother of daughters in a society where our safety, respect and equitable participation is still not guaranteed.
I acknowledge that Taylor Swift's music is not everyone's cup of tea and a number of friends have expressed to me they are part of the "I don't get it" crew. However, they have also generously acknowledged and celebrated our experiences of joy regardless. What we can all agree on is the power of collective joy and the benefits of shared experiences to build connection and wellbeing. Some are even writing about the therapeutic benefits of the Eras Tour
Of course, it would be remiss of me to highlight that despite the benefits, there are many questions that arise around the environmental impacts of these kinds of events across the world. I’ve long grappled with many contradictions that come along with participating in an event like this, but no more so than the many other contradictions I seem to navigate on a daily basis being alive in this beautiful and troubled world. We absolutely need to question and critique the supply chains, energy use and the impacts that events like these create. The net needs to be cast a lot wider than Taylor Swift though and we must not lose sight of the broad reaching systemic change that is required in order for us to create a safe and equitable world where our kids and future generations can thrive.
I know we are very fortunate that this experience was available to us, when for so many others it was not possible. I am immensely grateful to Shane for making this fabulous weekend possible and for leaning in with us. And heartfelt thanks goes to my husband Daniel who graciously allowed me to experience this with our girls and his brother while he soaked up the atmosphere and joy outside the stadium (which was also quite extraordinary by all accounts).
Looking back on that night with a smile in my heart and tears in my eyes, I am reminded of all of the many ways my daughters have encouraged me to keep an open mind and to lean in to opportunities for joy. And it is knowing that they still have so much to experience in life and so much joy to feel that inspires me to show up, however imperfectly, to champion a safe future for them.
My sincere wish is that we all choose to lean into joy more often, and find ways to contribute to collective joy. For it’s joy that will nourish us and help us stay the course as we navigate this beautiful and troubled world.
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