‘both sides now’… and me

It’s some 53 years since I first listened to Joni Mitchell singing “Both Sides Now” (and subsequently purchased the ‘Clouds’ LP)… and was utterly captivated.  She’s continued to be my favourite singer/songwriter ever since… (as has the song).
So, this afternoon, as I was sketching and listening to old playlists on ‘Spotify’, “Both Sides Now” (the 1969 version) came on… and, for some reason, it just stopped me in my tracks.
Maybe it was because it reminded me of first meeting Moira at College (“Tears and fears and feeling proud…To say, ‘I love you’ right out loud”)… perhaps it was because it resonated with us meeting up with a few old friends recently… perhaps it was simply because it reminded me how long I’ve loved this song and that we’ve all become old in the process?
Whatever it was, I found myself in floods of (happy) tears.
It actually made me stop listening to ‘Spotify’ and to check out the YouTube footage of Mitchell singing the song at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival… and the crying continued.
And, finally, I watched+listened to the YouTube recordings from the 2022 Newport Folk Festival… and, of course, I cried again.
Music can be magical.
Thanks for the memories.