TEMPLAR'S PICK | Begin Again by Taylor Swift

Maria Jhoanna Briol

PUBMAT | Carlene Sarmiento

Artist: Taylor Swift

Genre: Country Pop 

Album: Red (Taylor’s Version)

Released: 2021

Rating: 5/5

When Endings Turn Into Beginnings

More than just a story of romance, the song Begin Again reflects the universal experience of healing, where strength is often rediscovered in the most ordinary moments. From its title alone, Begin Again already speaks of renewal and hope. The song tells the story of finding the courage to move forward—not only after heartbreak, but also after the low points of life. It is about refusing to remain in the shadows of disappointment and learning to embrace joy again. Taylor Swift captures this with the simple yet striking line: “I watched it begin again.” Truly, it shows us how endings can turn into beginnings.

Breaking the Cycle

On her Red album, Swift once described love as a cycle of breaking, burning, and ending. Yet Begin Again breaks apart from this pattern. While much of the album highlights the intensity of heartbreak and struggle, this track shines its light on recovery. It reminds listeners that setbacks—whether in love, school, or personal battles—do not have to keep us stuck and unable to move forward. There is always room to rise again, to heal, and to believe in better days.

Built on soft acoustic guitar and gentle production, the track draws strength from simplicity rather than grandeur. Its steady rhythm may feel slower compared to Swift’s anthemic singles, but that calmness mirrors the careful, hopeful steps of someone slowly finding their way back to light.

“I Watched It Begin Again”

To begin again means starting fresh after hardship, heartbreak, or tolerating less than you deserve. The phrase “watched it begin again” captures that quiet, yet powerful moment when you notice your own renewal. After a period of settling for “enough,” you finally let go and allow yourself to start over. You step out of the cycle of disappointment and pain, realizing that love, life, and self-worth can be gentle and healing. Choosing to believe and feel again, despite vulnerability, is an act of courage.

But beginning again isn’t just about loving someone else—it’s about yourself. It’s about giving yourself the freedom, respect, and kindness you may have withheld for too long. To watch it begin again is to lower your guard, embrace joy, and allow yourself to feel whole once more. Renewal often comes quietly, but one day, it just does. One day, you let yourself, and one day, you truly begin again.

More Than Romance

At first listen, Begin Again may sound like a tender story of meeting someone new. But the song’s meaning stretches much further. To begin again can also mean choosing yourself—reclaiming your worth after being overlooked, learning to embrace joy after seasons of sadness, and finding strength after your lowest points in life. It shows that beginnings are not limited to romance, but also found in the quiet act of self-love and acceptance.

What makes Begin Again powerful is how it captures the courage of resilience. Healing, as Swift suggests, is not always loud or dramatic—it is often gentle, steady, and built from small sparks of hope. The song becomes more than a soundtrack to romance; it is a reminder that second chances exist in many forms. 

The Lasting Message

The re-release of Begin Again in 2021 as part of Red (Taylor’s Version) gave the track a renewed meaning. Beyond offering fans a fresh recording, it symbolized Taylor Swift reclaiming her art and beginning again on her own terms. This act mirrors the song’s essence: the bravery to start over and the strength to embrace new chapters, even after pain or loss.

Its reminder is timeless: every ending creates space for another beginning. 

One day, without planning, you simply find yourself moving forward. To begin again is to live again, to see light after darkness, and to believe that no ending is ever truly final. That is the lasting gift of Begin Again, it assures us that no matter how heavy the ending, there will always be hope waiting on the other side—because when endings turn into beginnings, life offers us the chance to start anew.