Reflections on Abdurraqib's "On Summer Crushing" by

llasater1 — 2024-02-06 05:51:05 UTC

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llasater1 — 2024-02-06 05:52:40 UTC

"And, yes, I have a crush on memories that were surely not as beautiful as I have made them out to be. Because that's the whole trick."

2024-09-03 05:08:39 UTC

Love this quote because it is so true.

Your memory is interpreted by your own experience. Your brain wants to block unimportant distressing information and hold onto the beauty and dreams of how we interpret them.

2024-09-03 19:00:44 UTC

"I try to phone but I'm too shy I can't speak"

this part of the song stood out to me because I am somewhat speaking from experience in the past, since I myself am known to be a somewhat shy person. In this case, I'm referring to the many opportunities that you have to talk to a person but you don't follow through simply because you were just shy or nervous and didn't want to put yourself in that kind of situation.

“But, for all of the agony, what you get in return is the imagined person and not the actual person.”

2024-09-03 21:38:35 UTC

I found this quote to be interesting because I know a lot of people, myself included at times, where we believe someone to be a certain way solely based on our own idea of them. Most of the time it’s untrue and can wind up being disappointing.

It is hard to create longing without the reminder of what we’re longing for.

2024-09-04 03:20:49 UTC

I found this quote to be quite powerful in a way that speaks about everything that can ever happen to you in life. The things we desire, and the things that get us all excited, in which we all long for, must also remind us of why we're desiring such said thing in the first place. Without the gentle reminder, no matter how large or small, it's hard to keep desiring for something. You keep longing for a desire of hope or excitement the future holds and in return you receive such thing you've been longing for, it's a game our brain plays over and over.

" I'm content just letting the situation play itself out at its own pace."

2024-09-05 09:56:41 UTC

This quotation sticks out because it conveys a sense of content acceptance and faith in the way things will unfold naturally. It implies an attitude of surrounding control and being patient, which can be quite enticing to those who are frequently overwhelmed by the tension of trying to control events. It also speaks to a philosophical way of living that lets things happen organically rather than pushing or hurrying them forward, which is why it strikes a chord. I believe it also stresses striking a balance between taking action and accepting responsibility.

I have been known to take everything as a sign, even if I am lying to myself. That's part of the fun.

2024-09-05 19:49:20 UTC

This jumped out at me because I believe this holds true for me sometimes. I do think beyond recognizing what is real and what is fantasy, that this is something that happens even subconsciously. Seeing signs, seeing them often, or taking almost everything as a sign when you really want something to happen. I believe we do this as a passive form of manifestation. Either way, I agree with the write in that, even if the crush ends up not liking you back, it is fun and heart warming to have a crush and have an idea of what the person could be and could mean for you, before seeing the actual person in all their glory.

"We'll laugh at the foolish desires of our past selves."

2024-09-05 21:54:44 UTC

I found this quote to be interesting because before this quote it's basically talking about seeing someone you know and speaking about how you might had a crush on them before and not believing how you did. Although this specific quote came after it talked about all that, it made me think of how we sometimes think of some of the actions or things we did in the past and laugh at them. The way I see it is that sometimes we hope for things and desire certain stuff but they don't happen sometimes so they just stay as a desire and eventually we forget about it until we see it again. We might even laugh remembering about how bad we wanted those things but it all just stays as a memory that you can look back to especially because our emotions changed over time and so do we since we aren't the same person we were in the past with those past desires.

"I think I would like to call this moment romantic, too, for all the times I’ve sat outside of a grocery store, or a bar, or an ice cream shop, turning up a song that reminded me of someone in hopes that the music and the memory might intersect and silence the downpour."

2024-09-05 22:13:08 UTC

This quote really stuck out to me. Why? Because of how much I can relate to it, in which I tend to romanticize simple things in my life and accompany those moments with a playlist or song. Or when I'm feeling that overwhelm of emotions and feelings about people or moments in my life, where music is able to drown it out and create a sense of peace in my life and momentarily wash those fears/scares away. Music has the power to take over a situation or a memory because our brain seems to latch on to the song and the lyrics and store it away in my memories. Knowing that can bring me calm and lessen the downpour of thoughts that may haunt me, because I know that in a few years all I may remember is the song that was playing that night and not the endless list of worries.

“Falling in love can be an isolating act, even if another person is present while it is happening.”

2024-09-06 03:46:58 UTC

I found this quote really interesting because each person can have a different inner world as the outcome of the strong feelings and strong relationships that develop. A person may feel as though they are traveling alone, even though the potential that they are experiencing something with someone else due to the intensity of their feelings. Even when surrounded by people you love, the process of understanding and managing your own emotions can be so consuming that it makes you feel alone.

"The things that keep you awake, or send you to the edge of a bed, speaking out loud to no one but yourself"

2024-09-06 17:36:29 UTC

We've all had those nights where something just fills your mind. This quote stood out to me, due to the uncertainty of life you never know what will happen the next day or in the moment. People tend to dread things they don't know the outcome of or something that happened that was out of their control. I find comfort in knowing it happens to everyone, we've all had those nights focusing on something that evokes a feeling of sadness, happiness, confusion, anger, etc. We all turn to something to help turn that little voice off that continues to overthink, while music helps the mind become at ease. Music is an escape for many of us, including me so when I find it hard to sleep or focus I tend to play music to get my thought process straight.

2024-09-06 23:53:17 UTC

"I have a crush on the feeling of night air cooling sweat off skin when a body spills out of a hot and crowded space".

This is quite an evocative quote which wraps up the poignant moment-most of all, one out of the ordinary kind of feeling that is associated with having a crush. It's not just about romantic desire; it's more an appreciation for transient, physical sensations that provide reliefs and renewals. There is a very palpable and kaleidoscopic imagery created through the conjunction of cooling night air across sweaty skin, in which the reader can fill in all the minute details of an intimate moment of solace and sensual pleasure.
What makes this quote interesting is the expansion it suggests in relation to the notion of a "crush" beyond the circle of romantic or interpersonal attraction. Abdurraqib speaks of having a crush on a sensorial experience, and in that place, about how our feelings and desires might be deeply connected with our physical surroundings and quotidian moments. It does mean that the idea of a "crush" can be put to different uses: relationships with other people, but also relationships with the world that surrounds us and our personal experience within it.

"I have been known to take everything as a sign, even if I am lying to myself."

2024-09-08 01:35:32 UTC

This quote stuck out to me because I related to it. Some things just mean nothing and just happen for a reason, but in my mind, everything is leading me in the direction I am supposed to be in. It is something so simple as if I drop a drink that I just got I think to myself well I guess I am not supposed to have that drink today. On the other hand, it could be something more extreme like I see someone in a store that hasn't been home from college in a while and then I think to myself, the universe knew I needed to see a familiar face today. While I still believe these to be true, it was nice to hear someone else say a similar statement.

"I think I would like to call this moment romantic, too, for all the times I’ve sat outside of a grocery store, or a bar, or an ice cream shop, turning up a song that reminded me of someone in hopes that the music and the memory might intersect and silence the downpour."

2024-09-08 17:47:12 UTC

This quote just really stuck with me I can't count the times I've just sat in my car and listened to songs to silence out my anxiety. I tend to sit in my car and just listen to music to calm myself down before a test or even before going into work even though I do pretty much the same thing everyday at work you never know what you are going to run into during a shift when working in retail. I listen to an uplifting song before a test or work to put me in a better headspace usually an uplifting song that reminds me of something like summers with my friends and families or late night car rides with my friends during high school.

"Which is to say, when I was in school, especially when I was in school but before my friends and I could drive, when even if a person was romantically linked to someone else, they would most likely part ways before the school year ended. Or pretend that they were going to give it a try over the summer if they lived in neighborhoods that were close enough. But, in the end, the seemingly never-ending possibilities of summer won out."

2024-09-08 18:28:03 UTC

This portion of the writing succinctly explains what it's like being in a relationship in high school. School is meant to help us build a structure for our lives. It's a structured environment that is not conducive to relationships that can typically last. The freedom that summer offers builds stronger relationships because of all of the changes and differences that one will encounter in a more free environment.

"I have cursed myself for misreading all my crush’s signals, but I have still felt thankful for the time those signals were there for me to read in the first place. To have a crush can be joyous labor, and can also be anguish, and can also be something that will vanish in a day or an hour and never be revived." again.

2024-09-08 20:11:21 UTC

Having a crush can feel euphoric for the sheer fact that you can recognize your feelings for someone after reading and seeing it portrayed in songs and movies. Love in unpredictable and I can vividly remember feeling both anguish and love. This quote resonated with me and reminded me to enjoy the moment and not take everything so personally because at the end of the day, these feelings and scenarios are there for a reason and you should be thankful those moments are shaping you into becoming a better person.

"...the idea of falling in love over and over again within an endless loop of uncertainty. Sometimes, it isn’t even the person you’re falling in love with, just the uncertainty itself. I have been known to take everything as a sign, even if I am lying to myself. That’s part of the fun. It’s the idea of certainty that drains me. " (Abdurraqib 6)

2024-09-08 20:17:35 UTC

This part stuck out to me as it is a similar idea from my own history of relationships. With a constant loop of relationships filled with uncertainty of being in said relationship and when I got into a relationship with someone I could really see myself with for the long run, I would be filled with worry that one of us didn't really feel the same about each other even though its completely evident that we do. Sometimes love causes insecurities and when things are working out and feels too good to be true, you try to make reasons why it isn't and how you need to worry about the stability of the relationship.

"And, yes, I have a crush on memories that were surely not as beautiful as I have made them out to be. Because that’s the whole trick."

2024-09-08 23:02:57 UTC

As I was reading I noticed a few different quotes that stuck out to me, but none did I relate to as much as this one. Human memory is flawed. No matter how clearly you think you remember something there are certainly aspects that you are forgetting. I believe it makes old memories sweeter. Not all memories are good of course, but for my good memories, I remember what was important to me. I remember who was there, and the way I felt. And though I know those memories have aspects that are not as beautiful as I remember, I still want to remember them for their beauty.

I also have a crush on the feeling of night air cooling the sweat off skin when a body pours out of a hot and packed space

2024-09-09 04:27:38 UTC

This quote speaks volumes to me because I've been to lots of music festivals and I can still remember this exact moment in a night where all you want is the cold breeze on your sweaty self. This is a true emotion of relief and peace when you so desperately need some comfort from the oceans of people and noise.

"To have a crush can be joyous labor, and can also be anguish, and can also be something that will vanish in a day or an hour and never be revived again."

2024-09-09 05:38:19 UTC

I found this quote interesting because it expresses how having a crush can be all over the place. As it can be a thrill and exciting, but also hurt. To be a combination of pleasure and uncertainty and how quickly it can all go away. As I can recall instances where I have felt this way being confused in such aspects. The whole reading really brings out the complexities of our emotions especially with love and time. In how all of our emotions can be significant and felt.

“To have a crush can be joyous labor, and can also be anguish, and can also be something that will vanish in a day or an hour and never be revived again.”

2024-09-09 05:51:47 UTC

I can really identify with the way the author weaves in his own experiences with crushes and relates Whitney Houston's "How Will I Know" to the universal sensations of want and doubt. Like the author, there have been times when I couldn't quite put into words how I was feeling, but a song was able to express it exactly. Additionally, I've discovered that I frequently listen to the same songs on repeat, especially when I'm experiencing similar feelings. Much like the author says, I have always found that music can convey those times of longing, doubt, and contemplation in a way that really speaks to me.

"I think I would like to call this moment romantic, too, for all the times I’ve sat outside of a grocery store, or a bar, or an ice cream shop, turning up a song that reminded me of someone in hopes that the music and the memory might intersect and silence the downpour."

2024-09-09 06:10:09 UTC

I was very impressed with this quote. It reminded me of how I used to put earphones on my cell phone and listen to music so loud that I couldn't hear the voices around me in order to erase the things I didn't like and the feelings of frustration. Listening to music made me forget everything. And I was calming myself. I felt that music has tremendous power. Music often amazes me. And it often helps me.

“It is hard to create longing without the reminder of what we're longing for.”

2024-09-09 06:37:25 UTC

This passage caught my attention because it touches on why a sense of longing could be related to seasons. The author does an amazing job of tying the change of seasons to the changes in feelings, that people go through. Longing is hardly ever tangible and is often fueled by a sentiment or memory. It seems to me that our surroundings and experiences condition our hearts, which long for particular things or experiences.

"I'm content just letting the situation just play itself out at its own pace."

2024-09-09 06:49:13 UTC

I actually love this quote a lot. As humans, we always want more. We have natural anxiety about what happens next or if something doesn't go our way then what happens? Then we stress about it and it's easy to get overwhelmed. I think this quote is a mindset that takes time and practice to let life take its course. To just trust the process. We're only human and as humans, we cannot fight against life. What will happen will happen so if something doesn't go how you plan, it's okay. We should take a deep breath and keep it moving.

"It is not true that all people get crushes and it is not true that all people want to be someone's crush."

2024-09-10 06:46:01 UTC

I thought this quote was interesting because it goes to show that people are not always seeking love and don't have the desire to be loved. Everyone is at a different stage in their life and they may not be ready to feel loved by someone else. Some people need to take the time and learn more about themselves before loving someone else.