(an essay from 2020)
My Mondays to Fridays start like the usual- I wake up early, have my breakfast then start working. This year, instead of going to school to meet my colleagues and students, everything happened through Google Classroom and Zoom. It was a big adjustment from the usual, and I had difficulties adapting to it. It was an overwhelming situation I never anticipated.
The early months of working from home were stressful. In addition to the demands of work, there were personal matters that I had to attend to which made things more complicated. I can’t count the number of days I told myself to quit or look for an escape plan- starting a business, starting my graduate school journey, etc. But lonely nights surfing the internet for an escape plan was unhelpful. Instead of encouraging me, the articles I read made me feel as if I’m not capable of doing anything other than my job. Every article just reminded me of what I lack instead of honing what I already have. Thus, I stopped trying to escape and spent my time discovering new albums instead. It was through this activity that I rediscovered the works of Bob Dylan.
I first discovered the works of Bob Dylan two years ago. I was a graduating student working on my thesis when I first heard the songs from his album called Blonde on Blonde. The songs from the album, though speak of themes far from anti-intellectualism and education, pulled strings inside me. It was the first album that perfectly captured the inner dilemmas I had as I transition from being a student to a member of the working force.
The discovery of Blonde on Blonde led me to his other electric albums. Though as electric as Blonde on Blonde, I did not feel any connection with the albums Highway 61 Revisited and Bringing it all Back Home. My pre-2020 self did not give much attention to these albums and still preferred the thin, wild mercury sound of Blonde on Blonde.
My thoughts on other Bob Dylan albums changed one January morning. My family and I were on a road trip to Quezon when I listened to every song of Highway 61 Revisited. It was not a conscious decision, I just thought the album’s name fitted the whole road trip thing we were into. Fifty-one minutes later, I was mesmerized by the album. Suddenly, I felt connected to it like never before, and as a result, I spent the rest of the year listening to every Bob Dylan album available on Spotify.
The Bob Dylan deep dive, as I call this endeavor, began with reading the Bob Dylan subreddit. Through this site, I discovered other people who like Bob Dylan. From people who give Bob Dylan albums as birthday gifts, to people who are sharing their take on Bob Dylan banana cake, reading the subreddit made living each day bearable. It was difficult to find people within my circle who appreciate Dylan thus it was a delight to read stories of people appreciating his songs and talking about his works.
The recommendations of people from the subreddit helped me in my own Bob Dylan deep dive. After Highway 61 Revisited, the next album I gave a try was Blood on the Tracks. Unlike Blonde on Blonde and Highway 61, Blood on the Tracks captured a territory I’m not familiar with- romantic relationships. Despite my lack of experience, I was surprised to find a connection between myself and the songs from the album. As I spent more time listening to songs like Tangled Up in Blue and Shelter from the Storm, I was able to understand the dynamics of relationships and the necessity of its ups and downs. It was an album that taught me of the many emotions that come with loving, leaving, and learning.
The next albums on the list are The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan and The Times They Are A-Changin'. Although its themes were far from Blood on the Tracks, these albums still showcase Bob Dylan’s talent and ability to write thought-provoking songs even at a young age. When I try to imagine that he was around 21-23 years old when he made these albums, I can’t help but be amazed. As a 23-year-old, these albums give me the push I needed to be more confident and brave in following my dreams. Aside from his young age, the songs from these two albums made me think about the world around me.
A song from The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan called A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall is full of apocalyptic imageries that reflect the society we have at present. A line that struck me the most- "Heard one person starve, I heard many people laughin’”- reminds me of the many times I felt alone because I can’t find people whom I can connect with. It also reminds me that starving could mean many things and that if we open our eyes, we would see that some are starving from love, care, and attention whilst many laugh and close their eyes from the reality.
The song The Times They Are A-Changin, sang of heeding the call of change. Through this song, I learned that although I miss the old way of doing things, the best I could do now is to embrace change with open arms. Trying to stop change to accommodate my preferences would lead to further pain. Instead of whining about the challenges I experience, I learned from this album to use what I have to connect to other people, especially the ones who are most vulnerable. I learned to see change as an opportunity for growth. Lastly, I learned from this album to help people without asking for anything in return.
My list of Bob Dylan albums to listen to is still long. It’ll probably take a year before I could listen to all his albums and reflect on every single one. For now, all I want to do is to apply all the things I learned from the albums in my life. The events of 2020 may not be what I expected it to be but that doesn’t mean I should give up on life. Working from home may be difficult and challenging, but that doesn’t mean I should run away from it. When things are difficult, I learned from Bob Dylan that the solution is not to ignore it but to recognize it and to seek help.
