While I was recently queueing for Taylor Swift tickets alongside thousands of other people on Ticketmaster, I was struck by Taylor’s immense impact on the world. Her music has gotten so many of us through the miserable and the magical and everything in between. It’s been said and proven time and again that in opening up about her innermost thoughts and personal experiences, she somehow strikes a universal chord, articulating how we all feel, oftentimes with astounding intimacy and eloquence. (And girl can also spin out a killer bop).

Thank you, Taylor. For helping us to collectively process our growing pains, joy, grief, heartbreak, fear, triumphs, loneliness, insecurities, yearning, loss, excitement, regrets, envy, and hope. Your music has become the soundtrack for literally millions of our lives somehow. And as they might say if this were Olivia Benson's namesake TV show, these are our stories.