Soul-bearing. Here we go -
I know Ed Sheeran because of my son, Matt. Matt played the music for Thinking Out Loud for YouTube and then flamed out on the vocals. He said he just couldn't do it.
I believe in my son. I said "Sing it an octave lower. You can."
If it's the song he wanted to do, I wanted him to do it.
I knew he could.
Everything he chooses that pertains to music is a win. He has an ear for the intricacies of music where mine falls deaf. I've learned in his young life to step aside. I've seen enough of what he can do....that I knew he could do it.
Then, I saw Ed Sheeran's video Photograph.
It, of course, brought me to tears.
That Ed's folks had so many home movies to make such a video is... beautiful. Can't all of us parents do that? Maybe not with video, but in our minds? Or photos tucked into our back pockets of our jeans....or our phones. I hope so. Let's do so.
In Ed's video, I saw my little men. Matt. Ben. Growing. Stretching. Contemplative. Silly. Developing the sensitive, curious, intelligent, skilled people they've become.
My sons don't look anything like Ed - no red hair, no glasses, no shyness.
But I see my boys none the less.
The video, and my sons, show me every day that we all matter. All of what is different about us is best.
You matter.
I matter.
Our stories matter.
We are human beings experiencing life. Collectively, we are all on a similar path. Where we diverge on the path is what makes our lives different...and interesting.
And that's not just enough. That's everything.
We all matter.
Ed Sheeran's (beautiful) Photograph
Loving can hurt
Loving can hurt sometimes
But it's the only thing that I know
When it gets hard
You know it can get hard sometimes
It is the only thing that makes us feel alive
We keep this love in a photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Hearts are never broken
Times forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket
Of your ripped jeans
Holdin' me closer
'Til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone
Wait for me to come home
Loving can heal
Loving can mend your soul
And it's the only thing that I know
I swear it will get easier
Remember that with every piece of ya
And it's the only thing we take with us when we die
We keep this love in this photograph
We made these memories for ourselves
Where our eyes are never closing
Our hearts were never broken
Times forever frozen still
So you can keep me
Inside the pocket
Of your ripped jeans
Holdin' me closer
'Til our eyes meet
You won't ever be alone
And if you hurt me
That's OK, baby, only words bleed
Inside these pages you just hold me
And I won't ever let you go
Wait for me to come home [4x]
Oh you can fit me
Inside the necklace you got when you were 16
Next to your heartbeat
Where I should be
Keep it deep within your soul
And if you hurt me
Well, that's OK, baby, only words bleed
Inside these pages you just hold me
And I won't ever let you go
When I'm away
I will remember how you kissed me
Under the lamppost
Back on 6th street
Hearing you whisper through the phone,
"Wait for me to come home."
Writer(s): Johnny Mcdaid, Ed Sheeran, John Mcdaid
Copyright: Sony/ATV Music Publishing (Uk) Limited, Polar Patrol Music Limited
Lyrics from: http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/edsheeran/photograph.html
Photo: Pinterest viralnova.com