Tuesday Tunes: Sara Bareilles’ “Brave”

Editor’s Note: Song lyrics denoted in bold italics.

I think it’s pretty much an established fact by now that I, umm, like to speak my mind. I’ve done it for almost nine years on this very blog and even in books like Pantsuit Nation. Honestly, I never even really thought about the actual act of doing this — you know, the speaking up. It’s just always been a part of me; I can’t remember a time when it wasn’t an automatic reflex, even when it wasn’t the most appropriate time, perhaps. But to think of my voice as…brave?

Sara Bareilles’ “Brave”
From The Blessed Unrest

That’s something I never even considered. And then I found myself watching Glee this past weekend and was reminded of a song that touched my heart several years ago. Really, I can’t help but feel as though the lyrics were describing my life and encapsulating everything perfectly. It all made me wonder, as I’m so prone to do: Maybe I’m not the only one who tends to speak up??

You can be amazing
You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug
You can be the outcast
Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love
Or you can start speaking up
Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do
And they settle ‘neath your skin
Kept on the inside and no sunlight
Sometimes a shadow wins
But I wonder what would happen if you

You know how I’m always saying that words matter?? I mean, it’s practically become my mantra over the years — how cool would it be to have those two words on a t-shirt? Anyway, I love that the song opens echoing this very sentiment. Words can be used for evil or they can be used for good. They can be used to crush people or to build people up. How you choose to use your words is up to you. If words were a superhero, they’d be like Spiderman because “with great power comes great responsibility.”

Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave

But, I won’t pretend that this speaking out has always been easy for me. Sure, I may have always done it, but that doesn’t mean that I didn’t have time where I questioned myself. I sometimes wondered if I should just keep quiet because that seemed like the easier path to take at the time. The last thing I’ve ever wanted to do was to hurt people with my words — you all know that I’m a lover and most definitely NOT a fighter. Because so often, I wasn’t just saying these words for other people’s benefit. As much as I wanted other people to hear them, I think a part of me needed to hear them too. To reinforce things for myself? To teach myself a lesson? All of the above?

Innocence, your history of silence
Won’t do you any good
Did you think it would?
Let your words be anything but empty
Why don’t you tell them the truth?

Let your words be anything but empty — I love how this is such a call to action, don’t you? It’s rather inspiring, to think that your words can have the power to effect change. Sometimes I think that’s all people really want. They want to have their voice heard and their feelings validated.

So, friends, I encourage you to go forth in this big, bad, confusing world and sprinkle it with some good in the form of your powerful words. Own them. Live them. And love them. I promise you that those words will matter — and they will be heard. I love you all…and I love your beautiful words!! Remember, #BeBraveBeYou… xoxo