Wake Up, Billie Joe!
Blog Art by Drake Nelson
September’s over. October’s here.
Time to wake up—really wake up. Don’t sleep through life like you’re doom-scrolling on the toilet. (We’ve all been there.)
“Wake Me Up When September Ends.” That Green Day track’s been echoing in my head—Billie Joe Armstrong pouring out his pain, and somehow giving the rest of us a reminder: don’t lose months. Don’t drift through seasons. Don’t wait for life to shake you awake.
Holidays, routines, rinse and repeat. Life doesn’t wait. One second everything’s normal, the next—bam—everything changes. Sometimes it’s beautiful. Sometimes it sucks. Both are part of the ride.
Someone cuts you off in traffic and your inner monster wants to go full road rage—yell, flip a finger, imagine slashed tires. Take a beat. Breathe. Let that heat out. Your heart will thank you. Your life will keep moving forward.
You get a ticket and your brain screams, “F*ck the police!” Feel it. But don’t let it drag you down or steal your energy. Pay it if it makes sense. Fight it if it doesn’t. Either way, save your fire for what actually matters.
And sometimes it’s not just a bad driver or a ticket. Sometimes, it’s losing someone you love. The kind of loss that rips you apart and leaves you hollow. Grieve. Scream. Let the tears come. But know this: they’re not gone forever. You’ll see them again. Until then, stay open. They’re still with you—in whispers, in memories, in moments that feel too perfect to be random. They love you. Let them speak. Keep going, for them and for you.
So wake up. Move forward. Take risks. Laugh loud. Don’t let this cruel world dim your light.
Wake up, Billie Joe. Wake up.
Got a story that made you wake up lately? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear it.
