There I was, a mere 13 years old. My dad stood tall beside me as we both belted out every word of every song. Just four rows ahead of us, there he stood: Mick Jagger. He moved like lightning across the stage. Even as a child, I was impressed with both his speed and agility. Of course, I had been somewhat groomed to love the rock n' roll band from birth. Anyone who truly knows me knows how big of a fan my father is of The Rolling Stones. So much a fan, in fact, that he even has the iconic red tongue tattooed on his back, a timeless symbol that he has always been proud of even as he ages. All of us have certain songs or bands that can take us back to a fleeting stage in our past. For my father, The Rolling Stones truly represent his youth.
This past week, I started my day off like I typically do, by scrolling through articles and reading the ones that catch my eye. I read a headline and thought to myself: Wow, is Mick Jagger really 73? My father instantly popped into my mind, but not the father I have known for my entire life, a much more youthful version. I pictured him in his early twenties, holding a Budweiser and smoking pot with friends, as a Rolling Stone's album played in the background.
It all goes by so fast. I am sure that the majority of you reading this article, have been told by your elders how quickly time passes you by. When I was younger, these words did not hold much value. As I make my way through my twenties, I realize truer words have never been spoken. This last year the world witnessed the deaths of several iconic musicians. These musicians and their lyrical creations represent our parents' adolescents, their first love, their first stolen beer, their first time and even their first heartbreak. It must be a truly sobering feeling to watch their music icons fade away with age, their voices not able to carry the same tunes that once represented so much for so many generations. One person has remained.
Happy Birthday, Mick. In a time when musicians from this extremely influential era, are succumbing to years of bad decisions, Mick Jagger still stands. Even at 73, he represents so much to so many. Just as I have viewed my father in his youth whenever The Rolling Stones are mentioned, I cannot help but wonder if some day my children will picture me in the same light every time one of the band's legendary songs are played.
Time is fleeting. You can either give in to the time as it passes, or continue to try to outrun it. Thank you, Mick, for proving that life is much better when you try to beat the clock. Here's to 73 more.
