As we inch closer to the release of Taylor Swift’s new album, I thought I’d dissect the last song she left us with on Midnights.
The transitional track before we enter the Tortured Poets era.
A track that just happens to be one of my all time favorites.
Dear Reader is the “Right Where You Left Me” of Midnights. It’s underrated, but once you give it a real listen, its depth slaps you right in the face. In the best way possible, of course.
Dear Reader Overview
Dear Reader, at first glance, is simply Taylor Swift spewing advice to the “reader,” with lyrics like:
“Bend when you can, snap when you have to.”
“Burn all the files, desert all your past lives.”
“Never take advice from someone who’s falling apart.”
Later in the song, you learn that the person giving the advice is actually the one falling apart. And if you knew the truth about her, you might not take everything she says so seriously.
Yet as a whole, this song does contain a lot of underlying wisdom.
Lessons Learned From Dear Reader
1. You never know what someone is going through, no matter how put together they might seem.
The moral of this song is, “just because I seem bright and shiny on the outside, doesn’t mean it’s how I feel on the inside.”
I see this all the time in my practice. And my friendships. And myself!
Even when it seems like a person has everything in life, that they should be grateful, or joyous, or have nothing to complain about, they are human. You are human. We all experience sadness, grief, disappointment, and anger.
It’s comforting to know that you aren’t alone in that. And even Taylor Swift, as brightly as she shines, indicates in this song that she doesn’t feel like she has it all together.
The most successful, fulfilled people out there have learned how to get good at falling apart. And instead of pushing those uncomfortable feelings down, they have found a way to accept and move through them.
2. Platitudes are useless.
A platitude is a cutesy saying that you’ve probably heard a million times. It’s intended to provide comfort or insight. But when you really think about it, the words don’t always apply.
Here are some examples:
Everything happens for a reason.
Nice guys finish last.
Money can’t buy happiness.
Are these statements true? All the time!?!? Absolutely not.
Dear Reader is full of platitudes. Each line gives you a new quip that at first glance could apply to your life.
And have you thinking, “Yeah, maybe I should get out my map, pick somewhere and just run.”
But the issue with believing every platitude you hear is that they are vague. Whereas you are a unique individual with your own personal experiences. A cliché saying is not always the best guidance.
Maybe at times they can help you. But whenever you hear one, be discerning. Make sure to question the validity it has on your life.
3. You are your best source of guiding light.
For me, the most valuable insight from this song is:
“You should find another guiding light, guiding light, but I shine so bright.”
This is a very poetic way of saying:
“You shouldn’t take everything I say to heart.”
And I can’t help but take this message one step further:
“You are your best source of guiding light. You have inner wisdom. All of the answers you need inside of you.”
Sure, advice or guidance from others can be helpful from time to time.
But at the end of the day, tapping into what is you know in your soul to be true will never fail you.
Which is why I love being a therapist and why I find therapy to be so valuable.
Because therapists don’t tell you what to do. We help you ignite the guiding light that already exists inside of you. That light is the most powerful source of healing out there.
And if therapy is something you’d like to try, check out my services page to see if we would be a good fit, or contact me here.
In the meantime, if there is a situation you’ve been struggling with and don’t know what to do about it, you can access your own guiding light with this 3-minute meditation.
Thank you, Dear Reader, for being here. 🙂
Do you have a different interpretation of this song? Which Taylor Swift song do you think is the wisest of them all? Let me know in the comments, and if you enjoyed this post, make sure to like and share it.
