“7 Kettles” is like my lullaby. It transports me from any state of depression or stress to one of calm. I can literally feel myself being carried up and away by the strings that comprise the song’s opening. The soothing guitar riff that permeates the whole song is not grounding so much as it is stabilizing. My rapidly beating heart slows to match the muffled, consistent beat. I feel my shaky self become solid once again, preparing to confront whatever challenges lie ahead of me.
And these challenges are reflected and addressed in the song’s lyrics. As all the factors of my life after college—all the unknowns—chaotically swirl around me, the song brings the future into a legible perspective. Time is not something we can escape. Closing my eyes to the chaos doesn’t make it go away; it doesn’t speed up the stressful process of trying to figure out my life; it won’t make this year come to an end any quicker. I simply must be patient. I have to have confidence in the reality that it—whatever “it” is—will happen. But until then, even if I don’t think I do, I need this year to grow. I have to admit to myself that I need this stepping stone—just as a pot needs to go through the process of heating up before it can actually boil. Life will inevitably continue into its next phase; I simply have to give it time.
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