Day 91: Everything I Am...

I hate Celine Dion.

Look, I'm sorry, y'all.  She's got an amazing voice.  And yeah, if we're out at Karaoke there's a decent chance I'll do an impassioned rendition of All Coming Back to Me.  But none of that matters.  You know why?

Because of this stupid song:

She wrote this song for a man.  A MAN, PEOPLE.  Let's go ahead and dissect why I'm so angry with it, shall we?  Lemme make sure you've really taken in the lyrics.

I'm everything I am

Because you loved me.

Really?  REALLY CELINE?  EVERYTHING?!?!?!?!  Like, there was no foundation or basis for your being until this man came into your life?  You have no sense of self outside of what he shaped you to be?  YOU'RE EVERYTHING BECAUSE HE LOVED YOU?

It makes me want to foam at the mouth.  Honestly.  If it comes on the radio I start yelling at the speakers.

BUT...
 

I had a sudden epiphany the other day, when this--possibly my least favorite song in the world--came on the radio. If I forget that Celine wrote this for her husband. If I pretend, instead, that it was for her parents, then, suddenly, I don't hate it at all. In fact, it becomes a beautiful song that illustrates a truth that is known to all of us who were lucky enough to be cherished by our parents.

Their love is what made us into the people we are today.

It is the root of who we are.

We are, without a doubt, everything that we are, because they loved us.

So, on this eve before Mother's Day, I am going to forgive Celine, for writing the perfect parental anthem. She did it by accident, but I'm just going to grit my teeth and let that go. Because for every mother, father, step-parent, grandparent--for everyone who raise us, loved us, and helped us grow, this is really, honestly, a great song.




For all those times you stood by me
For all the truth that you made me see
For all the joy you brought to my life
For all the wrong that you made right
For every dream you made come true
For all the love I found in you

I'll be forever thankful baby
You're the one who held me up
Never let me fall, you're the one
Who saw me through, through it all
You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me
Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You gave me wings and made me fly
You touched my hand, I could touch the sky
I lost my faith, you gave it back to me
You said no star was out of reach
You stood by me and I stood tall
I had your love, I had it all

I'm grateful for each day you gave me
Maybe I don't know that much
But I know this much is true
I was blessed because I was loved by you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You were always there for me, the tender wind that carried me
The light in the dark shining your love into my life
You've been my inspiration, through the lies you were the truth
My world is a better place because of you

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me

You were my strength when I was weak
You were my voice when I couldn't speak
You were my eyes when I couldn't see
You saw the best there was in me

Lifted me up when I couldn't reach
You gave me faith 'cause you believed
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me
I'm everything I am
Because you loved me