I Stand

I’ve been listening to Idina Menzel’s “I Stand” CD for sometime now and am definitely enjoying it tremendously. I actually bought my copy out of the iTunes store since I don’t know it is available in our local music stores. I guess that a lot of people in this part of the world, especially those who are not familiar with recent American stage musicals, wouldn’t really recognize her name much less buy her CD. Some of the songs on her latest CD really spoke to me in light of recent developments happening in and around me.

One song in particular is the title track which an acoustic version of the video I’m sharing here. I love the thematic content of the words and even more, the way that it forces me to think of where I stand on some of the things that affects me. I am by no way an activist. Always thought that activism was the purview of the privilege and the moneyed. What use is activism for someone who needs all the waking time he has to make sure that he makes enough money to pay the bills at the end of the month. But in the end, who will fight for you if it is not yourself. No use waiting for handouts from the government or empty promises of come-back kids hungry for their self serving limelight.

We make our own destinies and changes.

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference"

I Stand by Idina Menzel
© 2008 Warner Bros. Records Inc. for the U.S. and WEA International Inc. for the world outside the U.S.

"I Stand"

When you ask me, who I am:
What is my vision? And do I have a plan?
Where is my strength? Have I nothing to say?
I hear the words in my head, but I push them away.

'Cause I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
I stand for the strange and lonely,
I believe there's a better place.
I don't know if the sky is heaven,
But I pray anyway.

And I don't know
What tomorrow brings
The road less traveled
Will it set us free?
Cause we are taking it slow,
These tiny legacies.
I don't try and change the world;
But what will you make of me?

'Cause I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
I stand for the strange and lonely,
I believe there's a better place.
I don't know if the sky is heaven,
But I pray anyway.

With the slightest of breezes
We fall just like leaves
As the rain washes us from the ground
We forget who we are
We can't see in the dark
And we quickly get lost in the crowd

'Cause I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
'Cause I stand for the power to change,
I live for the perfect day.
I love till it hurts like crazy,
I hope for a hero to save me.
I stand for the strange and lonely,
I believe there's a better place.
I don't know if the sky is heaven,
But I pray anyway.