When I was fifteen
I was figuring myself out
Learning to make decisions
Yearning for independence

I bought my first album
For a song that I heard
At my piano recital
And I wanted to play it again and again

It was the summer
I had my first summer job
I saved every penny
To buy my first pop album

Such a small gesture
But I'll always remember it
This rite of passage that
Projected me into teenage hood

There's something about losing yourself
In a music store
Between rows of compact discs
Of every genre

I remember delicately moving
Album cases with my thumb
To have a look at the one behind it
Until I found the one I was looking for

How different it is to shop this way
Than to browse through hundreds of titles
On a smart phone app
With too many playlists to count

The young songstress
Was my mature version of an imaginary friend
She sang about crushes, first loves and heartbreak
Experiences I hoped I, too, would live one day

My voice joined hers though many of life's moments
Celebrating small victories
Crying when things seemed so unfair
Hoping for the day when things would change

As the artist went from small town
Country girl to pop super star
I also grew, evolved, and changed
As did my goals, hopes and aspirations

She taught me that success is the result of hard work
And that people are always going to talk
So it's best to not let it get to you
Most of all, she taught me to believe in happy endings.
© Cynthia Sappracone