Ahh, Acceptance. This song is my jam. Every single lyric was written from personal experience: self-doubt, exhaustion, anxiety, depression, disorganization. More often than I care to admit, I feel like a big ole mess. I’m a very emotional person, and although I’m easily ecstatic and joyful, I’m also easily frazzled and overwhelmed. Ever my own worst enemy, I spent too many years beating myself up over the smallest flaws. I have longed for the hyper-organized life: the home that smells like fresh-baked cookies, the neatly stacked storage bins, the color-coded spreadsheets. But those things aren’t my reality. My house smells like muddy dog and store-bought cookies, my closet looks like a tornado aftermath, and the sheer idea of Pinterest gives me heartburn.
I’ve struggled through a slew of disorders and obstacles, and although I’ve made massive strides in several areas, I’ve recently learned to accept the things I cannot change. I may not win “wife of the year,” (or “mom” or “woman” or countless other “of the year” awards), but I’m doing the best that I can to live the best life that I can: savoring each moment with my family and friends, striving to be nice to the people and planet around me, and being grateful to God for every detail of my (often messy) life.
I wish we lived in a world where people weren’t so quick to criticize each other. But that’s not our world. Ours is a world in which we readily judge friends, celebrities, even random strangers. I can’t even click on the comments section of an online article without cringing at society’s judgmental harshness. Why are people so critical of others? Do we not all live in a veritable glass house of our own? Is our criticism some perverse amelioration for our own flaws? Why can’t we look at someone who’s a big ole mess and cut him some slack, knowing that none of us are perfect? Why not lift each other up? Or at the very least, live and let live?? After all, everyone on this earth has issues, and no one is immuned to struggle.
So while living in this giant glass house of life, let’s treat others with love, kindness, and ACCEPTANCE. Then if your glass house ever starts to crack, hopefully others will offer you the same acceptance…and maybe some duct tape.
~Stacia
lyrics
VERSE 1:
My hair is in knots
I've had negative thoughts
and I'm questioning every small thing
My house isn’t clean
I'm so tired I could scream
But at the tips of my toes I will sing
CHORUS:
This is me, in all of my splendor
I have struggles, I have issues, I surrender
I'm a big ole mess…
But so are you
We're all complicated
We are flawed and we are frayed and we are faded
But we do our best, deserve nothing less...than acceptance
VERSE 2:
At times I feel blue, I’ve anxieties too
Exhaustion’s my only repose
But I wake up each day and press on anyway
And try not to dwell on the lows
~CHORUS~
BRIDGE:
There are days when I’m barely treading water
And the world won't cut me any slack
But I keep my head up and don't bother
Worrying who's at my back
Cuz this is me, in all of my splendor
I am bruised, I am scarred, I’m a little tender
But I’m doing my best
And so are you
We all do what we can
It’s a long and windy road but in the end...
...we need acceptance
credits
from So Close,
released December 16, 2016
produced by Jeff Halland
Sparrows Rising is Stacia Ray and Maygen Lacey, an Alt-Ethereal-Pop-Folk Christian duo...writing inspiring and encouraging music for a broken world. Might we all just act on our urges to do good and love others. ♥
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