One mom sums up all our feelings about One Direction

Samantha Hunt is a One Direction superfan, and she’s not afraid to admit it. Yes, she’s a 43-year-old mom and not the band’s target demographic, but she understands how 1D songs make us feel in a profound way.

Hunt’s article, “There Is Only One Direction,” was published in The Cut this week, and it brought a depth to the band’s fandom that had previously been left unsaid. Here’s how she explains her passion for the band’s songs:

Many fans feel judged for their adoration of One Direction. There’s the feeling that you’re viewed as less intelligent for loving songs performed by “teenage heart-throbs,” songs written expressly for a target audience that isn’t over the age of 20. But Hunt’s essay describes perfectly why One Direction’s fan base extends past the adolescent crowd. It’s simply this: The group instills hope and happiness into their music.

Hunt, a novelist and professor, brings up a point that makes us nod in agreement: intelligence is not some mold one must fit in. When did we decide that only the ignorant can be blissful? When was it agreed upon that those who are scholarly must only focus on the hardships and pain of life? And when did we decide that our own personal tastes in life—the wine we prefer, the music we dance to, the clothes we wear—designate our own personal intelligence?

Hunt also points out the fact that One Direction’s music can speak volumes about multiple facets of life, and not just for adolescent girls. For her, it expresses her complicated-yet-steadfast love for her daughters.

“It comes down to the simple truth of the band’s name,” she writes. “In five years, five boys have become five men. And one direction is, of course, the only choice they, we, get. . .There’s a time limit on [my] girls, too.”

These are only a few takeaways from the eloquent, heartfelt article, so we highly recommend you read the entire thing here. Thank you, Samantha, for this gorgeously written essay—and we at HG totally stand with you in support of One Direction. (We miss you, Zayn.)

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