It is selfish to think about moments that are significant for the collective through a completely individual prism.
But the truth is that we all mostly interpret life based on what each experience has meant to us on a personal basis.
And so, for a football journalist who has spent the last decade covering Liverpool primarily, it’s hard not to look inward when considering Jurgen Klopp’s departure.
That doesn’t just mean I mourn the loss of a genius football manager who brought greatness back to a club I follow closely, or a charismatic personality always ready to deliver an unforgettable line.
No, it goes deeper than that as Klopp’s eight-and-a-half years in charge have been a heady mix of professional and personal milestones.
An era of turning points
For example, it’s impossible to forget that my first date with my now wife fell just three weeks after the Europa League final in Basel and the post-match party that featured Klopp’s speech that has entered Liverpool folklore.
Since then, we’ve not only gotten married but had a baby, and many of the landmarks along the way can usually be set in time thanks to a typically exciting win or trophy.
Of course, most fans will be familiar with this mindset, which is much easier to fall into when memories of football are positive.
And let’s not forget that while Liverpool’s improved status may cloud things now, 2015 was far from the case.
I remember sitting in Klopp’s first press conference in the ‘Reds Lounge’ of what was then called the Centenary Stand and thinking that simply getting Liverpool back into the Champions League on a regular basis would be an achievement.
Instead, the German won that trophy, ended a 30-year title drought and collected all the other silverware available to him – well, the Europa League aside.
It would be fair to say, then, that expectations have been exceeded, and in such a way that any attempt to diminish Klopp’s legacy should be immediately rejected.
Hugs and beers shared with Klopp
In the end, can narrowly missing out on two Premier League titles for state-funded Man City or two Champions League wins for the biggest club in the world, Real Madrid, really be described as a failure?
And even if he could, perhaps ask an Arsenal fan how much it would mean to get ‘just one taste of such success in this era.
The fact is that those victories should be celebrated with greater fervor given what Liverpool were up against, and the journey around them provided moments that all involved will never forget.
For me, that includes a hug from Klopp in the mixed zone in Madrid and shared beers while conducting an interview on the flight to Sydney.
Even the manager’s public dressing down at Goodison Park in 2019 made for a good story to tell at dinner parties.
These memories only reinforce the feeling that with Klopp’s departure, Liverpool are losing not only his outstanding managerial skills but also an incomparable character.
And he doesn’t shy away from thinking about what it means for Arne Slott, who thanks to the work of his predecessor reaches unenviable expectations.
Instead, for now, perhaps it is best to reflect on the perfect story that has left its mark on the lives of all of us associated with Liverpool.
