This is the name of a powerful song by Pat Benatar recorded about 6 years ago. While listening to this beautiful song portraying walking through tough times, I was reminded of so many times in my own life that I was in the wreckage. We all have tough times and some have times they feel they will never be able to stand again let alone walk.
One line in this song says ‘Even with the pain, beauty still remains inside’. But in the midst of the pain and wreckage, beauty can seem so illusive. How do we survive the pain and get back on our feet? In my life when in those times, and way too many of them, I felt alone, like I was dragging boulders around. There were feelings of abandonment, anger, defensiveness and no way out to walk out of my situation.
Most recently I went through a very difficult time that seemed to last forever and challenged me at every level, financially, physically, emotionally and spiritually. At every point, I felt defeated and blinded to a direction that would turn life around for me. I wish I could say it happened overnight, over a weekend or even a month or two, but in all transparency it was more like two years.
Don’t let that discourage you because there is more to the story and even if it did not change overnight, it changed; well, I changed. Nothing changes in our lives until we change or at least decide to change. Change is painful, I won’t lie to you. I fought it tooth and nail. Would I have it go any differently? Looking back, no I wouldn’t but in the middle of the wreckage, I would have done anything to not feel the pain of change.
Another line in this amazing song is, ‘Side by side, let’s keep our hope alive’. You may be in the midst of your own wreckage and not wanting to stand up and walk through. In these times we learn that if we look up there are others to come along beside us to help lift us up and if needed, carry us through. I have many such friends who were there for me in ways I would not have imagined was possible.
If someone reaches out to give you a hand up, reach back and let them help bring you through your wreckage. I believe people are mostly kind and in some way want to make a difference. Pride often keeps us from reaching out asking for someone to walk side by side yet when we do, help is there.
And for now, to end on a lighter note, put on your shades and see the sunny side of life because it is there. Don’t give up! You are worth fighting for because what you may be going through now can shine a light on a path for the next person to see their way out of the wreckage.
On a final note, the last lines in this song; ‘We can be strong, there can be no wrong, Let them try me!’
