As a child, I loved sumr because it was sumr vacation, no school, no howork, just playing freely and enjoying every mont.
As I grew up, I loved sumr because of the celebrations, carnivals, and holidays. Waterlons, fireworks, the ocean, and afternoons where even the air conditioning couldn't stop the sweat.
Even if I spent the entire sumr doing nothing and wasting ti, I still missed it.
However.
The Columbine High School massacre happened on April 22nd. The lives of those children abruptly ended and disappeared forever before sumr even arrived.
The story of "Elephant" takes place at the end of August, when sumr is about to end. The lives in the story also forever remain in that last sumr.
They, those vibrant and youthful souls, those young and innocent lives, were buried forever under the sumr sun and its splendor.
Honestly, Anson couldn't imagine, even with all his imagination, how those parents felt when they learned that their children's ordinary day at school ended in such a way.
Without experiencing it firsthand, relying solely on imagination was still too shallow.
People always said that death was painful, and of course, that was true. But what was more painful than death was continuing to live because they had to carry those wounds and quietly wait for spring to arrive.
So could wait, say goodbye to the past, open their arms, and embrace a new life. But so would forever remain in that sumr, unable to leave.
It was just a thought, but it grew and spread in their blood, long and real, making them feel the tornt in every breath, day and night.
Sumrti, so short yet so long, carrying the warmth and power of life. When sumr ended, youth seed to co to a full stop.
Graduated, they scattered across the world, embarking on new journeys in life.
Saying goodbye to sumr seed to an they could no longer play and had to slowly learn to grow up.
For a long ti, seasons were just seasons, the changing of the four seasons rely marking the passage of ti. But from a certain mont, it beca different. Seasons were no longer just seasons. They represented mories, life, and also the way we lived.
A lody flowed through his mind.
"Sumr has co and passed. The innocent can never last. Wake up when September ends." (Note 1)
The lyrics naturally surfaced in his heart.
The bright yet lancholic guitar chords danced amidst the somber and lodious cello strings, like the heartbeat and pulse they felt as they chased the sunset, holding onto the tail of sumr.
So powerful, so real.
Anson thought, maybe they could make an album about sumr and youth. The concept of the entire album would be like "Elephant," capturing a sumr in their youth, blooming brilliantly and unrestrainedly for a short ti, and when sumr ended, they would go their separate ways, scattered across the world.
In fact, it wasn't just about graduation season.
Life was the sa.
The sumr when his family suddenly faced a crisis was also when he was 25 years old.
For a long, long ti, he refused to accept the cruel reality, refused to accept the fact that his father had run away alone without a trace, refused to accept the fact that they had nothing and were plunged into困境, refused to accept the fact that they went from heaven to hell overnight. The mories of that ti had beco blurry, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't recall the details.
All that remained in his mind was the pain, the struggle and tearing that burned his internal organs, using all his strength to deny reality.
That sumr was so long and so sweltering, it seed endless.
On the one hand, he tried his best to run, trying to escape that sumr that wouldn't end. On the other hand, he hesitated and lingered, because the end of sumr ant growing up and also ant facing reality.
He couldn't help but close his eyes, temporarily escaping reality, hiding in his own world, listening to the sound of sumr burning, waiting for that mont.
Waiting for the mont of growing up, waiting for the mont of facing the pain calmly, waiting for the mont when ti healed the wounds, waiting for the mont when sumr ca again, waiting for the mont when the wounds healed and life revived.
Then.
Unconsciously, they grew up just like that.
Quietly, looking at Eric's disappointed face, at the students tidying up, at the crew mbers hugging and celebrating the wrap, an inspiration took root, sprouted, and then grew and spread uncontrollably.
"As the mories fade, and I'm no longer afraid. The seasons change and fall away. Yeah, wake up when September ends."
Just like the inspiration he got when he helped Jack during the filming of "Catch If You Can," those scars, that pain, that tornt, were agonizing when experienced firsthand. But looking back on those years as an adult, what ca to mind weren't the happy and beautiful mories, but the hardships and setbacks that tempered and shaped him.
Those were the monts that made him who he was.
That's why people always said that pain was the source of artistic creation.
Of course, artists also created when they were happy, but those creations were often wrapped in a colorful candy coating, unable to truly touch the soul.
But it was different when in pain. The anger, sadness, anxiety, struggle, tornt, and scars could always give birth to countless tensions and sparks.
Indeed.
His decision to leave Los Angeles for a temporary break and adjustnt was the right one.
Leaving the monotonous recording studio, changing his routine, and going out to feel, experience, and live again, allowed his thoughts to beco active, and inspiration would rekindle at the right ti.
"... Anson?"
A voice called out, and Anson finally snapped out of his thoughts. He saw the worried faces of Alex and Eric.
A smile spread across his face.
"Sorry, my thoughts just took a short trip to the Land of Oz."
Anson made a little joke.
Alex was confused, his eyes filled with bewildernt.
But Eric raised his chin thoughtfully, his eyes looking at Anson once again filled with excitent.
Anson didn't explain. "Did I miss sothing?"
Alex shook his head innocently. "No, we just..." He paused, a bit shy, and glanced at Eric, trying to muster up his courage. "We just wanted to ask if we could take a photo with you. You know, opportunities like this don't co often."
"Maybe this is the only evidence that we made a movie."
Anson was taken aback.
"Haha." A bright smile blood on his face. "Of course, no problem."
At least they didn't interrupt the filming and waited patiently until the wrap to ask. Just this awareness alone surpassed many professional actors.
But what Anson didn't expect was that when other crew mbers saw him taking photos with Alex and Eric, they also ca over one by one. When Anson ca to his senses, he turned around and saw a long, winding line behind him.
Anson: "Excuse , is this so kind of tourist attraction in Portland?"
Haha, a burst of laughter erupted.
Note 1: "Wake Up When September Ends" - Green Day
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