addicted to love
My first kiss was in kindergarten while playing house. He was one of the three different boys I liked that year - our Methodist day school was a happening place.
Another followed in first grade when I quite literally chased a boy down on the playground. When a jealous classmate tried to rat me out to my teacher - "Sarah kissed Dylan on the playground!" she cried - I innocently batted my eyes and assured Mrs. Lewis I had no idea what she was talking about.
In sixth grade, I made the self-important declaration that my first real kiss was the one that happened at the Valentine's Dance that year. I went for his cheek but he turned and met me on the lips. I was over the moon about this extremely awkward encounter. He was a skater boy and, a few months later when I tried to french kiss him, he got scared and said see ya later girl.
Toward the end of my lusty middle school career, St. Valentine smiled upon me again when my math class crush asked me to be his girlfriend. His pitch involved a CD mixtape, hand-written card with the lyrics to "She Is" by The Fray inside, and plain milk chocolate Hershey's Kisses because he knew that's how I liked 'em. God bless the kid. He became my high school sweetheart for the next four years.
The list goes on... and I've suddenly realized that this is one of the only Valentine's Days on which I have been completely and totally "alone" since I hit pre-pubescence. And yet I'm not alone at all because I'm learning to love who I am, where I am, and who I'm here with more than ever before. Learning to be alright on my own two feet is something that's taken me a long time and I still work on it constantly.
Because, might as well face it, I'm addicted to love.
I came out of the womb chasing boys and I will never get over the high I feel upon first flirtation, first realization that maybe he likes me too, first kiss, and so many more firsts that, if you're lucky, you stumble upon a few different times in life when you fall in love all over again.
But until I find that next hit, I've learned that really the best Valentines are to be found in a group of good friends. And a fun playlist never hurts.
xo,
sarah
songs abt luv playlist
1. there she goes - the la's
2. summer montage / madeline - justin hurwitz
3. countdown - beyoncé
4. greedy - ariana grande
5. bad decisions - ariana grande
6. knew better / forever boy - ariana grande
7. pusher love girl - justin timberlake
8. try a little tenderness (45 version) - otis redding
9. better man - leon bridges
10. twistin' & groovin' - leon bridges
11. hound dog - big mama thornton
12. treasure - bruno mars
13. help me, rhonda - the beach boys
14. wouldn't it be nice - the beach boys
15. don't worry baby - the beach boys
16. baby love - the supremes
17. you can't hurry love - the supremes
18. stop! in the name of love - the supremes
19. please mr. postman - the marvelettes
20. eight days a week - the beatles
21. day tripper - the beatles
22. right as rain - adele
23. send my love (to your new lover) - adele
24. back to black - amy winehouse
25. tears dry on their own - amy winehouse
26. a sunday kind of love - etta james
27. let's stay together - al green
28. cupid - sam cooke
♡♡♡
styling: me + friends
photos: emily owart
photo assists: maggie mayes, beau ward
featuring: all of the above + tavis gray + yzma the cat