Blue Reminds Me of Summer

Whenever I listen to "Blue" by Yung Kai, I'm reminded of the summer of 2025. And if you know anything about the song, it's not because I found love. The song's lyrics don't even remotely come close to describing what happened that summer. It's mainly vibes, and a moment I attach to this song.

Last summer I remember seeing the same people every day for 14 days. And after this, I would see these people every other day. I was always one to say I don't do friend groups, because I'd rather have individual friends. I liked one-on-one conversations, because I could get to know the other person on a deeper level. Group settings didn't provide the same opportunity. I know group settings mean more people to bounce off of, and more goofing around, and more letting your guard down. But I was willing to trade this in order to know another human being deeper. Because group settings can be quite shallow.

But I found that with this group it felt like I was having one-on-one friendships with each person individually. And it also came with all the fun things a group comes with.

And one thing that happened quite a bit that summer is that we'd host small, private worship jams at my friend's church. He loved playing guitar, acoustic or electric, and he would without fail sit down, grab his electric, and begin playing the intro of "Blue" by Yung Kai.

This happened enough times that I've now associated that song with the entirety of that summer. I associate the song with running through the field and running your fingers through the grass, spinning underneath the stars until you fall, long road trips with windows down as we sing at the top of our lungs, eating hotpot at 1 am, riding lime scooters down the middle of the road late at night, sitting on a picnic blanket and watching fireworks, laughing until our stomach hurts and we can't breathe.

I remember being grateful.

What's interesting to me is how a memory can be associated with a song so powerfully. For example, when I first listened to "Blue" after a long hiatus, I remember being rushed with emotions as my mind turned back to one of the best summers ever. It was quite an inspiring experience.

Nostalgia is a peculiar feeling because it's bittersweet. And bittersweet seems like an oxymoron, but that's the only way to describe nostalgia. You long for the times in the past, but you know they cannot be taken back. That's the bitter part. So all you can do is sit there and smile. That's the sweet part.

There really isn't a point to this post. I just wanted to write my thoughts down on this.