There’s something enchanting about a song that hits you right in the feels. Music has this amazing ability to evolve with us, resonating in different ways at different times. This week, a familiar tune took me on an emotional journey – “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman soundtrack.
As the opening notes filled the air, I found myself with a backstage pass to empowerment. The beat, the lyrics – they all seemed to synchronize with my mood. Before the song concluded, I put it on repeat, so I could relive my performance several more times, singing my heart out with unabashed enthusiasm. While I may not boast dancing prowess, my car and passersby witnessed a full-fledged performance complete with hand gestures and facial expressions.
What made this moment even more special was the stark contrast to my experience several years ago. The same anthem that now filled me with courage had once prompted tears on a drive home from work. I remember the road I was on when the song came on, the same song playing, and suddenly, tears streaming down my face. It hit me like a tidal wave of emotions – a mix of shame and overwhelming loneliness.
The opening verse sets the tone with the criticism received from others, maybe from ourselves, probably both:
🎶 “I am not a stranger to the dark. ‘Hide away,’ they say, ‘Cause we don’t want your broken parts.'”
Then the singer decides to see her beauty, her strength, her uniqueness. She rises above all the criticism.
🎶 “But I won’t let them break me down to dust. I know that there’s a place for us.”
This made me cry several years ago because I didn’t see how to rise above my failures. I was learning to accept “all my scars” and just live with them. I thought I needed to let go of aspirations to be truly happy, believing my voice carried no real weight. I lost confidence in my ability to be a leader.
When I heard the song this past week, I was in a different place. I am a person ready to rise up and face the world again. I’ve learned to be comfortable being uncomfortable. I’ve learned how to “not let the shame sink in,” and I know I can still “burst through the barricades and reach for the sun.” I am a warrior.
Matter of fact, WE are warriors. I want everyone to know that.
The power of music lies in its ability to capture and reflect our emotions. This week, each beat of “This Is Me” exuded bravery and triumph, a departure from the melancholy that had gripped me before. This is a shout-out to the way time and personal growth can shake things up.
As I belted out the lyrics, I couldn’t help but marvel at the journey. From the pits of despair to standing tall with newfound strength, that same damn song became a badge of resilience. The beauty of music lies not just in its melodies but in the stories it tells – our stories, evolving and resonating with us in unexpected ways.
–LT
“This is Me” Lyrics
I am not a stranger to the dark
“Hide away, ” they say
“‘Cause we don’t want your broken parts”
I’ve learned to be ashamed of all my scars
“Run away, ” they say
“No one’ll love you as you are”
But I won’t let them break me down to dust
I know that there’s a place for us
For we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown ’em out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me
Look out ’cause here I come
And I’m marching on to the beat I drum
I’m not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
Another round of bullets hits my skin
Well, fire away ’cause today, I won’t let the shame sink in
We are bursting through the barricades and
Reaching for the sun (we are warriors)
Yeah, that’s what we’ve become (yeah, that’s what we’ve become)
I won’t let them break me down to dust
I know that there’s a place for us
For we are glorious
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown ’em out
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me
Look out ’cause here I come
And I’m marching on to the beat I drum
I’m not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh-oh
Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh
This is me
and I know that I deserve your love
(Oh-oh-oh-oh) there’s nothing I’m not worthy of
(Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh)
When the sharpest words wanna cut me down
I’m gonna send a flood, gonna drown ’em out
This is brave, this is bruised
This is who I’m meant to be, this is me
Look out ’cause here I come (look out ’cause here I come)
And I’m marching on to the beat I drum (marching on, marching, marching on)
I’m not scared to be seen
I make no apologies, this is me
Whenever the words wanna cut me down (oh-oh-oh-oh)
I’ll send a flood to drown ’em out (oh, oh-oh, oh-oh)
I’m gonna send a flood (oh-oh-oh-oh)
Gonna drown them ’em out (oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh)
Oh
This is me
Source: LyricFind
Songwriters: Benj Pasek / Justin Paul
This Is Me lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Walt Disney Music Company