Wiser

This past weekend, I saw “A Star is Born,” and left the movie feeling emotionally spent. It was a dynamic remake of the classic and I’m glad I saw it, but one scene was particularly troubling to me: Lady Gaga’s character was in the bathtub, and her husband, played by Bradley Cooper, sat outside the tub and verbally and emotionally cut her down. A flash of recognition and anxiety swept over me, as I empathized with being the recipient of unprovoked vitriol from an unwell person.

Laura Chalk. Laura's Creative Cottage. Wiser heart. Mixed media illustration.
Wiser Heart. Mixed media illustration by Laura Chalk.

The days of being with an abusive person are farther in the rear view mirror, but I have come to understand that no matter how much healing I’ve done, the pain and anxiety can be triggered by witnessing or hearing about other acts of violence.

In my prayers since leaving the abusive relationship, I have repeatedly thanked God for pulling me back from the edge of the abyss. Those prayers, and seeing the movie this past weekend, inspired me to write the following lyrics.

Wiser
By Laura Chalk

Verse:
Floating down the spiral stairs,
Feel the rush of air.
Lovely sights and sounds,
Flowers all around.
Promises and dreams,
Making memories.
Whispers, oh so sweet,
Sincere, or so they seem.

Chorus:
Your trembling feet will touch the rim
Of the deep abyss.
An unseen hand will pull you back,
You can count on this.
You will be ripped at the seams
But you will be re-stitched,
Your wiser heart and soul
To fit.

Verse:
You are on the hook,
When pages of the book
Are ripped and then torn out,
The story is about
To change and you won’t know
Where you can even go.
The lines were never real,
The truth had been concealed.

Chorus:
Your trembling feet will touch the rim
Of the deep abyss.
An unseen hand will pull you back,
You can count on this.
You will be ripped at the seams
But you will be re-stitched,
Your wiser heart and soul
To fit.

Verse:
It’s been two years now,
You’ve healed and you have found
The only one you need
Won’t lie or crush your dreams.
It’s been a long, hard road,
Heartbreak’s a heavy load.
But sweetness has a way
Of finding its new day.

Chorus:
Your trembling feet will touch the rim
Of the deep abyss.
An unseen hand will pull you back,
You can count on this.
You will be ripped at the seams
But you will be re-stitched,
Your wiser heart and soul
To fit.

To fit, to fit, to fit,
Your wiser heart and soul
To fit.