I Bruise Easily

I heard this song and read the lyrics for the first time today and there is something so deeply true and beautiful there. I love the cinematography of the video, for one thing. Watch and see what you think. I'm cutting and pasting the lyrics below, as well. I'll put the words that speak most deeply to me in bold...



My skin is like a map, of where my heart has been
And I can't hide the marks, but it's not a negative thing
So I let down my guard, drop my defenses, down by my clothes
I'm learning to fall, with no safety net, to cushion the blow

I bruise easily, so be gentle when you handle me
There's a mark you leave, like a love heart carved on a tree
I bruise easily, can't scratch the surface without moving me
Underneath
I bruise easily, I bruise easily

I've found your fingerprints on a glass of wine
Do you know you're leaving them all over this heart of mine, too
But if I never take this leap of faith, I'll never know
So I'm learning to fall with no safety net to cushion the blow

I bruise easily, so be gentle when you handle me
There's a mark you leave, like a love heart carved on a tree
I bruise easily, can't scratch the surface without moving me
Underneath
I bruise easily, I bruise easily

Anyone who
Can touch you
Can hurt you
Or heal you.
Anyone who
Can reach you
Can love you
Or leave you...

So be gentle
So be gentle
So be gentle
So be gentle

I bruise easily, so be gentle when you handle me
There's a mark you leave, like a love heart carved on a tree
I bruise easily, can't scratch the surface without moving me
Underneath
I bruise easily,

I bruise easily, so be gentle when you handle me
There's a mark you leave, like a love heart carved on a tree
I bruise easily, can't scratch the surface without moving me
Underneath
I bruise easily, I bruise easily

I bruise easily
I bruise easily
************************************

Isn't that so true? We have such power to heal or to hurt one another. We have the ability to mirror the best of someone to them so they know exactly how beautiful and wonderful they are. We have the ability to, when we see the "real them," tell them that what we see is ugly, not worthwhile or not good enough. We can, when it's tough, bail. Or we can, in the midst of, and in spite of, the pain, hang on tight with everything we've got.

We've all done some of both of all of the above. We've all received some of all of the above. And we know in our hearts that if we guard ourselves from that bruising in the song, we might be "safe," but we lose everything. But when we risk it all...when we're willing to love past the point of what's safe...we have a chance at real love.

I bruise easily. You do, too. We are all the same, deep down inside. We long to love and be loved extravagantly. And that means giving the person we most want love from the very weapon which could hurt us more than any other thing. Scary as hell.

I've faced that fear and wimped out in the face of it. I've picked "safe" over "risk." But I've also faced the fear, put everything on the line and discovered love waiting for me. I've learned what I really want is worth the risk. It's worth the pain. It's even worth it if I lose it in the end. I know now there's nothing about "safety" or protecting myself from pain that's worth not knowing real love. The pain of not loving loving/being loved is in fact worse than the pain of losing love.

What does this song make you think about?