Even though they are no more, One Direction will always hold a special place in my heart. They popped onto my laptop screen when I was twelve, and my first thought was "oh, another boy-band," but they aren't just another boy-band. I begged my Mom to buy me their first CD, and then had it on repeat until their next one came out, and the next one, and so on.
People always tell me that "you need to grow up", or "to stop listening to one direction." Even when they were still at the top of the music charts, people told me that. But what they didn't understand was, as their fans grew and as the boys grew, their music grew and matured with us.
Their music has gotten me through some of the worst moments of my life, and even my Dad loves to listen to them (Steal My Girl is his favorite one). When my ex and I first broke up, I spent hours back in my room just crafting and blasting all their music.
When my Mom got home that night, my Dad looked at her and said: "something bad must have happened, she has been in her room all day listening to One Direction, that always makes her feel better." Every Christmas since they first came out, my Mom always bought me something One Direction related, or everything was related to them, even the wrapping paper.
I finally got to see them live in concert August of 2015, and it was hands down one of the best concerts I've been to. We had been to the beach the first week of August, and my Dad (bless him) drove us the six hours from the beach a day early, spent one day at home, and then drove myself, a friend, and my mom to Baltimore, Maryland the next day for the concert. When I first asked for the tickets almost a year prior to this, I walked outside, handed my Dad the information and told him that all I wanted for my birthday this year was tickets to One Direction.
He was dumbfounded, called my Mom, asked her what he should do, and the proceeded to hand me his credit card to buy them.
I was in tears when the concert ended, and months late, I was in tears when they decided to take their hiatus after their latest album. Harry Styles was my favorite out of them all; I loved them all, but Harry held my attention.
Then, he came out with his own album, along with Niall, Liam, and Louis releasing a few things too. I saw Harry in concert last summer when he came to D.C. and THAT concert will forever be my favorite...well until I see him again when he releases more music.
People may not understand what this band and these boys have done for me, but I do, and I will always listen to their music until I'm old and gray and my kids think I'm a joke.
