The Writing that I Used to Know

It took me awhile to recognize you on the radio. The first few times I heard you, I probably didn't even notice. And then when I finally matched your lyrics to your melody, I was hooked.I downloaded you on iTunes. Listened to you on morning jogs, while typing emails, while falling asleep. I. was. obsessed.I thought I would never tire of you. I thought you would always be my favorite.I don't know when the transition happened. When the first strums of "du du-un, du du-un, du dun dun dun dun dun" started to irk instead of perk.But it happened. I started playing you less. Started changing the station when you came on. Found other songs to sweat and type to. It didn't help that everyone else was obsessed with you, too.Now you're there, sharing a corner of my brain and My Top 25 with Adele's Rolling in the Deep, Damien's Cannonball and anything by Mumford and Sons.You're an old favorite song. Sometimes I listen to you. Sometimes I get nostalgic or accidentally hit shuffle. And as you do your thing, I wonder what it was I saw in you in the first place. I have a vague idea of why liked you. A sweet as cotton candy memory of when we first met. When you used to make me soar. But now, for the life of me, I can't listen to you all the way through.***Sometimes I feel this way with words. With what I've written. With what I write.Sometimes it feels like all the same song. The same tune. The tired fiddle.Writing feels like something that used to be my favorite, but now makes me cringe--like my junior high bangs or Christian pop band posters from (dare I say it) college.I'm still going to write. Like I'm still going to listen to music. But I can't help but wonder what happened to the writing that I used to know.***This post is part of Lisa Jo Baker’s Five Minute Friday prompt, Song. Every Friday, we turn off our inner critics and perfectionists and just write for five minutes straight. Zero editing. Just a stream of conscious free for all. And then we all link up and encourage each other. To learn more about Five Minute Friday and how you can participate click  here.