i had a realization yesterday that the last time i saw 1d in concert, it was the day before Niall’s 22nd birthday. i was almost 17 and having the best time and just so young and happy. today, on his 27th birthday, i am under 3 weeks from turning 22. those 5 years of me catching up to his age at the closing night of OTRA flew by at a rate i am struggling to understand. it has been around 4 years since the day he surprise-released this town - i was a senior in high school then, and i am a senior in college now. i can’t believe how much of my life i have spent admiring, thinking about, and loving him - over 8 years now. i have watched him grow, mature, laugh, and love, and at the same time, i got to do the same. i love him every day of the year, but it’s days like today when I realize just how much he has meant to me for almost half of my life. his presence has shaped me - how could it not - and im proud to have always supported and loved him. his talent, his beauty, and his maturity have only grown, and it is surreal and a privilege that we have gotten to watch him become who he is. anyways, i can’t wait to see what he does next, and if the last 10 years indicate anything, its that he will only get better for the next 10. happy 27th to the actual king of my heart 💕💕