You look so much better when you. . .
I dedicate this song to recession
Depression and unemployment
This song's for you
When you think about songs that have dedications at the beginning during the introduction, how does it contribute to the song? I often think about how those dedications speak to my own situation. We may all be going through some trials at the moment and nobody around us is none the wiser. I've often spoken about it to friends when we do that usual - how are you? The expected answer is - I'm good. But really we're not. Why do we do that to ourselves? We don't want to burden others with our problems or issues. Sometimes the flip side might be true and you have friends who dump their problems and issues onto you, but don't reciprocate. I hope people get to know you and what you're about. They need to see that they might be potentially ruining the friendship or connection by doing that.
Today's a new day but there is no sunshine
Nothing but clouds, and it's dark in my heart
And it feels like a cold night
Today's a new day, where are my blue skies
Where is the love and the joy that you promised me
Tell me it's alright
What do you hope to achieve in the new day that comes?
You have a choice whether to live up to people's expectations or not. You might discover that you have time to unearth your own expectations that have lay dormant for so long. I say this because the reason why you might be feeling like that there is no sunshine is because you've had to make sure that the sun shines on everybody else - but you. Should you be relying on others to show you the sunshine that you have been craving? Sometimes we think that the sun shines on certain people or in certain places that are beyond our reach. I just think that you need to work a little bit harder to find that damn sun. There is plenty of sunshine to go around if you know where to bask.
I almost gave up but a power that I can't explain
Fell from heaven like a shower
I smile, even though I hurt see I smile
I know God is working so I smile
Even though I've been here for a while
I smile, smile
It's so hard to look up when you've been down
Sure would hate to see you give up now
You look so much better when you smile, so smile
What is that inexplicable power that defies human definition and understanding? I guess it would be something that our human emotions could barely be able to contain. A shower with that kind of effect would be a welcome change from the drought season that you might currently be in. How often do we look up to the heavens? Where do you draw inspiration from when you need to get through times? It is hard to smile when you are going through a lot of pain. You might want to wallow in it for a while and count all of the reasons why you are the victim in your situation. You might be so frustrated with others, blaming them for finding yourself where you are, but you never take responsibility for yourself. It's the easiest thing to do in the world - blame others for your problems. When you have been in the same place for a while, it's time to see what you can do to get yourself out. It's ok to feel bad or sad, even be mad. But it's not ok to stay there for a long time.
Smile for me
Can you just smile for me
Smile for me
Can you just smile for me
I don't know what type of person you are in your circle of friends. Are you the person that everyone comes to so that they can feel better about themselves? I remember when I was younger, playing as kids in church growing up, we would play outside while the adults conducted church meetings or events. You know, the kind of stuff that kids find boring because there's no spectacle to watch, or it's more fun to talk with your friends. I mean, that's the way you learned your social skills - was interacting with other people's kids who attended the same events as your parents. I remember constantly getting in trouble for cracking jokes in conversations. We would laugh about something that happened, some current event, or something that would happen and we would laugh together. Often the younger kids would ask me to tell a joke (like I was some clown haha). I guess I just liked to see people happy. If I saw that they look sad, or preoccupied with something, I would try to make them laugh. I would think to myself, can you just smile for me?
Oh oh oh you look so much better when you
(And while you're praying)
Oh oh oh you look so much better when you
(Look in the mirror)
Oh oh oh you look so much better when you
(Always remember)
Oh oh oh you look so much better when you smile, come on
As I've grown older, no many matter how many friends I have, there are always new friends to be made. There are people that I knew in my past I have lost touch with, through life's choices and circumstances and they fall by the wayside. Other times I have reconnected with people who I didn't really know, they were just acquaintances, but now we can have long deep and meaningful conversations because we're older now, have life experience, and have no judgement for our situations. Nothing has been more important to me than these types of connections and really honouring someone when they are sharing something personal that means the world to them. It makes me more aware of how to be respectful to others, to really value them as an individual, who just like me, is trying to make their way in the world.
See I just want you to be happy
'Cause then you have to have something you haven't been
I want you to have my joy 'cause can't nobody
Take that away from you
I see you smile
I hope that when you are trying to figure out how you are feeling today - choose to be happy.
This life and all of its dramas can takeover the smallest joy that we try to keep sacred. We can often let one negative thing, eclipse a whole list of positive things that we should be grateful to have in our lives. We need to stop counting our burdens, but instead start counting our blessings. Granted there are times where we might struggle to be happy, because we worry about the imperfections we can't control. It is definitely important to process your feelings and know how to be in the right space for you, that you need to be in, not what people think you should be in - it's not their feelings aye, it's yours haha. Just as long as you know that, nobody has the power to steal your joy. That even if you feel like there is no light at the end of the tunnel, get a good understanding of where exactly you are in the tunnel, get your bearings, take stock of where you are, how far you have to go and push to get to the end. People will expect you to shrivel up and die in that tunnel. Nope. Don't do it. All I know is that you look so much better when you smile. How do I know? Because no matter what I'm going through, I smile. . .