Hope

On the way back home from my summer gypsy trip, I went through an old, tiny town in rural Mississippi called Oakland. We go back a long way, this town and I, and someday I'll tell you the story of it all. It deserves to be told.

This time, I made the small detour into Oakland in the middle of a fairly urgent long drive. I am so glad I did, because in its way - its very quiet and humble and unobtrusive way - it somehow became one of the most important and healing days in my life.

While I was there, I heard this beautiful song by India Arie.


Back when I had a little
I thought that I needed a lot
A little was over rated,
but a lot was a little too complicated
You see-Zero didn't satisfy me
A million didn't make me happy
That's when I learned a lesson
That it's all about your perception
Hey-are you a papa or a superstar
So you act, so you feel, so you are
It ain't about the size of your car
It's about the size of the faith in your heart

There's hope
It doesn't cost a thing to smile
You don't have to pay to laugh
You better thank God for that
You better thank God for that
There's hope

Off in the back country of Brazil
I met a young brotha that made me feel
That I could accomplish anything.
You see just like me he wanted to sing
He had no windows and no doors
He lived a simple life and was extremely poor
On top of all of that he had no eye sight,
but that didn't keep him from seein' the light
He said, what's it like in the USA,
and all I did was complain
He said-livin' here is paradise
He taught me paradise is in your mind
You know that

There's hope
It doesn't cost a thing to smile
You don't have to pay to laugh
You better thank God for that
You better thank God for that
There's hope

Every time I turn on the T.V. (There's Hope)
Somebody's acting crazy (There's Hope)
If you let it, it will drive you crazy (There's Hope)
but I'm takin' back my power today (There's Hope)
Gas prices they just keep on rising (There's Hope)
The government they keep on lying
but we gotta keep on surviving
Keep living our truth and do the best we can do

There's hope
It doesn't cost a thing to smile
You don't have to pay to laugh
You better thank God for that
You better thank God for that
There's hope

Stand up for your rights
Keep shining your light
And show the world your smile
~There's Hope (India Arie)