song: People Are Tender

a new single from the album...

you never know what people are going through…

I wrote this after a conversation with a friend who was really going through it. I want to honor this person by not sharing details, but something that really struck me was the contrast between the way we can present ourselves to others, and the way we carry on within. so many are passing through pain (in our bodies, in our emotions, and in our minds), and so often we don’t know what to do with that pain. masking it, trying to laugh at it—we try to adapt and do our best to let time heal our wounds. but some wounds take more than time…

I think in some way, this song is a call for compassion… when it might be easier to see the hard edges we bump up against unknowingly, and be hard back—how can we stay soft? stay gracious? forgive? it’s the greater way…

LYRICS

people are tender
though they might just seem hard
our shields and protection
guard our tender little hearts

so seldom do we even see
the fabric that we’re made of
yeah we fumble for some simile
it’s like we’re blind doing our make up
and I’m always wanting to seem clever
I wonder what that means I’m hiding
have me check my humor at the door
and make me swear that I’m not lying

people are tender
though they might just feel rough
behind our cold wallllllllls
is where we keep the soft stuff

when life seems like it’s bent to break
and when the heavens all are darkened
when the sandbags can’t keep the flooding out
when the rain starts raining hardest
grab my hand and say “I love you babe—
no flood or fire can keep us apart”
we’ll run the stairs and lock the door
and pray this house floats like an ark

people are tender…

here’s to you in your journey of learning to transmute pain into something beautiful, something meaningful. pain alchemy…

I’d love to hear how the song hits you/thoughts on walking through/with pain.

peace & hugs,
Z