Vienna waits for you

by Sarah Luna

See my introduction to this series here.

About two months ago, a friend excitedly told me that Billy Joel was coming to Cornell in December. I entered in the lottery for tickets without a moment’s hesitation knowing that there was only the slimmest of chances that I would be picked.

Twenty-four hours later, I opened the email inviting me to “Billy Joel: An Evening of Questions and Answers…and a little music!”

I probably don’t have to tell anyone here that Billy Joel is a legend. It has been a long time since I have considered him the greatest American poet of my lifetime. Songs like “Piano Man”, “Only the Good Die Young”, “She’s Got a Way”, “Just the Way You Are” and “Vienna” (especially “Vienna”) evoke special feelings and have meaningful memories for me.

I was ecstatic to hear that I would get to see this incredible man perform.

Fast forward to December 2nd. It was the last day of courses. I had just finished my MCN final and TA’d my final lab. I had had 5 stressful meetings in the past two days, and all I wanted to do was run away. I listened as the Cornell Chimes announced the end of the day and the end of the semester. There is only so much time in a day, a semester, a year, or a life. There are so many things to accomplish. I walked home with the jumbled thoughts of Rwanda, India, Mexico, proposals, TAships, funding, and relationships.

The unresolved stress looming over me pointed me towards the lyrics: Slow down, you crazy child…