Rising Troubles, Falling Embers

Once, as my heart remembers

All the stars were fallen embers

Once, when night seemed forever

I was with you

...

Once, as the night was leaving

Into us, our dreams were weaving

Once, all dreams were worth keeping

I was with you

Once, when our hearts were singing

I was with you

-- "Fallen Embers", Enya

One takeaway from the previous Pokémon Go season, which was titled "Rising Heroes" and as noted in the end-of-season post, may be that as much as things were rising, they were falling as well. More specifically, something negative was on the rise as was something positive. It's a slightly depressing state of things that leads me to reminisce this song that became popular as another one of the artist's song became popular (thus, by the "coattail effect") due to another depressing circumstance.

The quoted lines are of the first verse and the third and final verse. These as well as the second verse and "bridge" (perhaps more appropriately a "chorus") bring up visions of what has been and what could have been, becoming a reminiscence for the positive things and a lament for the negative things. It's not a long song by any means, but what it lacks in length it makes up for in profoundness. And like for all songs by the same artist, the artist encourages those who listen to seek their own meanings for them.

Obviously, here the meaning pertains to that tumultuous season. Though the season was intended to have more positive spirits, some negative spirits - both foreseen and unforeseen - had to appear and mar the season just as much as the positive spirits became the hallmark of the season. And when all was said and done, they left impressions that the season could have been something more, with or without the downturns and no matter how unavoidable the situations were in any case.

That the season has passed is now a certainty, and it has left both distinct marks and gaping holes by what has happened. It achieved a few things but left quite a few more things to be desired, like the "fallen embers" addressed in the song above. It is to be reminisced for what it is and what it might have been, had things turned out for mostly the better. With the new season only just starting, that may be something to hope for, just as the "fallen embers" of certain Pokémon things have become evident.

One year ago: The Forge of the Trainers

Two years ago: Nights of Raging Battles

Three years ago: Trainers of Might and Sorcery

Four years ago: Local EX Raid (Time and Again), 6/3/2019

Five years ago: Classical and New HP Heal Amounts

Six years ago: 3DS Pokémon Themes