My Anthem

It was love at first listen. The song was so validating... so uplifting. But the real power, the real weight of it's strength was carried in it's lyrics. The song was an anthem, it's words a mantra of encouragement and a reminder to fight. To challenge the world's ideas of who you are. Fight back and say no, this is me, this is who I am.  I loved... I love it so much that I have it playing constantly, almost on repeat, at as loud a volume as the speakers will allow. 

I never stopped loving it, but the more I listened, the more I really heard and understood the lyrics, the more challenging the song itself became. Mostly, it's a song that reminds me of the need to challenge views and fight. Mostly. But the first verse was a different kind of challenge. It was both a validation of how I felt, but also a wake up call. The lyrics try to encourage you to shed the negative views others have. But, the more I listened to this song, the more I realised that I hadn't shed those views. For some reason, I couldn't. Not truly. I still hid. I still ran. I still felt ashamed. For being me. 

I wonder, if I listen to this song even more, I might learn how not to hide. How to fight back. How to be me. Without shame, without fear. Without running or hiding. Maybe this song will become even more of an anthem for me then it already is. Those words in the chorus couldn't be more right. I am bruised. But I am brave too. And this is me.