Hero

Alright, so my music preferences are a bit all over the place.  When I was in high school- in the heart of self-hatred, shame and hopelessness- there were some songs that I listened to repeatedly.  They expressed something that I felt inside but couldn't put words to, or an experience I had that I could never seem to find again, or often a message I knew I needed to hear but never seemed able to believe.  I guess I always have a "mixtape/playlist" of this sort in any season I am in.  Anyway, one of the songs that was in this mix in high school was Mariah Carey's "Hero."  It fit into the "a message I knew I needed to hear but never seemed able to believe" category.  At some point I apparently stopped listening to this song repeatedly, and I actually forgot about the song altogether.  And then it came on the radio at my cousin's house tonight, and I remembered why I loved it so much, and still do.  If you are too cool to watch Mariah Carey sing it live, then just read the lyrics.  Otherwise the video is at the end.

There's a hero
If you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid
Of what you are 

There's an answer
If you reach into your soul
And the sorrow that you know
Will melt away 

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive 

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you'll finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you 

It's a long road
And you face the world alone
No one reaches out a hand
For you to hold 

You can find love
If you search within yourself
And the emptiness you felt
Will disappear 

And then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive 

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you 

Lord knows
Dreams are hard to follow
But don't let anyone
Tear them away 

Just hold on
There will be tomorrow
And time, you find the way 

Then a hero comes along
With the strength to carry on
And you cast your fears aside
And you know you can survive 

So when you feel like hope is gone
Look inside you and be strong
And you finally see the truth
That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you
That a hero lies in you