my turn to be brave

image is avatar for sheria at an examined life

this is not an exercise in humility. unfortunately. but it is an exercise in appreciation and gratitude. i have been blogging for a couple of years now, and i realize that much of the mechanics of this are directly tied to any sanity and lightness of being i have.

the process has given me the grace to work through some very tense and tragic and tumultuous happenstances on my journey, without having the pressure of anyone's reactions. now, once in awhile, there will be comments that shake me, well even quake me, and set me on a tizzy of uncomfortability. but these are few and far between. mostly, i get to think and feel through my life's situations with a steady hand and the faith that i will be posting again the next day.

kickin tina has become my comforter. it keeps me warm when i'm cold and it covers me up when i am naked- or even feeling that way. click here for a good example

so when someone out there takes the time to recognize my efforts and gives me a nod, it's a big deal for me. it is flattering. and it feels good.

firstly, thank you sheria. sheria (an examined life) is a steadfast and insightful blogger. she shoots from the hip at times, but i can always feel her steady hand and her natural talent for making another feel good come through. she has given me an blogland award and i will acknowledge and pass along- mostly because i have deep admiration for several bloggers out there and i welcome the opportunity to pay it forward. these bloggers all give me great support. most of them share about their lives and their thoughts in ways that can not be falsified. their life situations are a good part of their inspiration and they feed me hope time and time again.

thank you to my online blogbuds... you definitely inspire me... thank you for putting yourselves out there ... and for being brave and being true.

here are the marie antoinette: a real person- a real award recipient rules:

1. Please put the logo on your blog
2. Place a link to the person from whom you received the award (sheria)
3. Nominate at least 7 or more blogs
4. Put the links of those blogs on your blog
5. Leave a message on their blogs to tell them.

I nominate the following bloggers for this award, and encourage you to visit them.

1) richard kearns
2) willie
3) brian
4) northwest
5) bigg
6) java
7) chris

today's sound choice is a fave - idina menzel singing "brave"

my turn to be brave

sometimes i hear a song and there is no question that but that i am in love with it. my friend reuben (thank you very much, reuben) made a cd for the holidays and this song was on it. i couldn't read the cd for a long time, so i could never figure out who it was.

then when bryan and marc were in town for ub2, we were driving around and they heard it and commented on it in the same vein i had been thinking. is it a broadway song? i know her voice. is it from wicked?

well the answer is a partial yes to all those. it's idina menzel. she wrote the lyrics to this tune i believe. it's her 1st solo album. i know her from "rent" and from "wicked". she has a tremendous voice. it's got a dramatic quality that cuts deeply. here are the lyrics. tell me you don't love this song, too...

I don't know just where i'm going
and tomorrow it's a little overwhelming
and the air is cold and i'm not the same anymore
I've been running in your direction for too long now
I've lost my own reflection
and I can't look down if you're not there to catch me when I fall

If this is the moment I stand here on my own
If this is my right of passage that somehow leads me home
I might be afraid but it's my turn to be brave
If this is the last chance before we say goodbye
at least it's the first day of the rest of my life
I can't be afraid 'cause it's my turn to be brave

All along all I ever wanted was to be the light when your life was daunting
but i can't see mine when I feel as though you're pushing me away
Well, whose to blame?
Are we making the right choices?
'Cause we can't be sure if we're hearing our own voices
As we close the door even though we are so desperate to stay

If this is the moment I stand here on my own
If this is my right of passage that somehow leads me home
I might be afraid but it's my turn to be brave
If this is the last chance before we say goodbye
at least it's the first day of the rest of my life
I can't be afraid 'cause it's my turn to be brave

and I might still cry
and I might still bleed
these thorns in my side
this heart on my sleeve
and lightning may strike this ground at my feet
and I might still crash
but I still believe

This is the moment I stand here all alone
With everything I have inside everything I own
I might be afraid but it's my turn to be brave

If this is the last time before we say goodbye
at least it's the first day of the rest of my life
I can't be afraid it's my turn to be brave