Before the actual anniversary starts I just have to sort of get something off my chest so to speak.
I have said, and I will maintain- that Liam was the heart and soul of One Direction. I don’t believe that the 1D I knew and loved with my whole heart still exists. It is gone. And that is… hard. And sad. As we celebrate and remember the 15 year anniversary of the formation of our favorite band of thieves, our celebration is deeply steeped in grief. And I think it’s important to make space for that.
We have lost people on this journey of course. Fans, families, and now a band member. Each one devastating in its own right- but the loss of one of the five looms over this anniversary, these memories, this home we’ve found.
So. I will make time for my grief, but not my defeat. I wholeheartedly believe that Liam would want us to come together, to remember what was, to drink in the nostalgia, to celebrate the boys and their legacies, and most importantly to celebrate and love on each other, and this community we’ve built together.
It was Liam who said how much it meant to him that we found each other through the band. It was Liam who so often checked in on us, who connected with us, who championed the band and their legacy, who promoted fan art and fandom connections and inside fandom jokes. And so it is in Liam’s spirit and in Liam’s memory we commemorate this moment.
So here’s to 15 Years, One Direction. And here’s to Liam Payne. Thank you, for everything. We love you. 💜
