Last night, I finally had a chance to see The Perks of Being a Wallflower. I’ve been wanting to see it for ages, but living abroad means that not everything comes out here at the same time as it does in the States. I was grumpy. Patience is not one of my virtues.

But finally, I did see it. And I fell in love – I was hit hard with it, right in the sternum, where breath expands, and also it is hard to breathe. The movie and its soundtrack both struck a note that was, for me, the perfect essence of happy, sad, lost, and found that is the best of the adolescent experience. Each moment felt new, yet real, and brought me back to coming of age in the late 80s-90s.

Emma Watson’s performance was spot-on, too, and I began to believe she might really be able to act. But really, all the main characters were stunning performers. And now I’m dying to read the book.

In the meantime, I’m busy listening to The Perks of Being a Wallflower‘s soundtrack. The songs all remind me of both poignant moments in the movie and moments spent driving around with the windows down and songs blasting during high school. I remember mix tapes, the smell of the art room, the feel of the dial on my locker, plastic seats in faux wood desks, and the infinite nature of possibility in every moment – even the crappy ones.

If you haven’t already, go watch the movie. And listen to the music.