By Erin Almand
Hates the sound that goodbyes make.
She prays one day she’ll find someone to need her.
She swears that there’s no difference,
Between the lies and compliments.
It’s all the same if everybody leaves her.
And every magazine tells her she’s not good enough,
The pictures that she sees make her cry.
And she would change everything, everything just ask her.
Caught in the in between, a beautiful disaster,
And she just needs someone to take her home.
She’s giving boys what they want, tries to act so nonchalant,
Afraid they’ll see that she’s lost her direction.
She never stays the same for long,
Assuming that she’ll get it wrong.
Perfect only in her imperfections.
She’s not a drama queen,
She doesn’t want to feel this way, only seventeen but tired
She would change everything for happy ever after.
Caught in the in between, a beautiful disaster,
But she just needs someone to take her home.
Cuz she’s just the way she is, but no ones told her that’s ok.
But she just needs someone to take her home
And she just needs someone to take her home.
This is one of my favorite songs. Not simply because it is beautiful, the melodies and harmonies swooping like a bird on an easy wind. It is because, in a way, it is about all of humanity.
For some reason, we all buy into the lies the Satan feeds us. Im not good enough, not pretty enough, cool enough, smart enough, rich enough, popular enough The lies go on; the media continues preaching them while society continues believing them.
We are brainwashed into thinking beauty and worth all come in a certain shape, size, clothing style. Who said that was the truth? When did we allow Hollywood and the media to take control of our likes and dislikes, molding us all into thinking a certain package is all that will make us happy, the only way we can be accepted?
I have recently been reading Through Painted Deserts by Donald Miller, and, in one conversation in the book about love and searching for the person of your dreams, the author writes: I was just thinking about girls the other day and wondering, you know, why some girls get ignored and others get worshiped, and I really got this feeling in my chest like all of that wasnt true. Cant be true. Doesnt make sense. Like maybe if you cant love a girl who isnt perfect then you cant really love a girl who is. Not for real. Not unconditionally.
Its true. We cannot love another if we cant love the perfect version of them. I also think we cannot love another until we learn to love ourselves, the broken, mangled mess of a person we are – the beautiful disaster.
God loves you the way you are, unconditionally, no matter the brokenness or disaster, the lies or imperfections, the unworthy mess that you are (or just think you are).
My best friend and I were having a deep philosophical discussion the other day, and we came to the conclusion that we (the human race) get in our own way. We make it so hard for ourselves. I mean, it isnt hard to find laughter in tough or annoying situations. It isnt hard to focus on what you are going to learn from a situation, even if the situation feels overwhelming. We need to use foresight. Because even if we are stuck in the center of a sticky, no-fun, hell-and-guts situation, God has a plan.
So although it may seem so important, life-or-death circumstances that crowd our lives with stress and resentment, take a moment to step back and look at the situation. God is working in it. Hes taking this disaster that is around you, that you might very well have created or put yourself in, and is going to use it. And not only will He use it, but He’ll use it for good. I dont know about you, but for me, that puts it in perspective.
So often I feel like I am the center of the universe, all my problems are impossible, no one likes me or understands me, God must be punishing me, etc. Really all I have to do is step back. I am so tiny and insignificant in the big picture, and yet, because of Him, I am significant.
My life has meaning and purpose. God has a plan. That in itself should bring us the kind of joy which we can’t contain. You know, we (the human race) have all we
need to be joyful. Happiness can come and go; its fleeting. Joy is something that lasts forever, even in times of trial. God has given us everything we need for that. We just have to trust Him, and the joy will come.
Youre just the way you are, and He says thats okay. He just wants you to let Him take you home.
If you liked this article, check out: Girls: Hurt over your hurts
Erin is a freshman at Saint Louis University. She cant wait for spring to hit up here, and has successfully survived her first real winter. You can visit her on facebook or email her at [email protected].