Encouragement

I have had the pleasure of becoming friends with one of my very favorite singer/songwriters and my friendship with him has truly changed and challenged me.  His amazing lyrics have done the same.  I can’t even put into adequate words the gratitude in my heart for the many blessings and encouragement I’ve received in the last 2 years since I (seriously) began my journey as a photographer.   Although he may not know it, Tim Warren (lead singer of my favorite band The Alternate Routes) has been one of the most encouraging people in my life, and I cannot thank him enough.

I really struggle with my fears and the negative voices in my head, so encouragement is extremely powerful for me and I realize I need it often or else I will just give up.  Sometimes I have to pray, read and/or say positive affirmations, listen to encouraging/inspiring music, read motivational books, and reach out to a positive friend or family member and tell them I’m struggling in order to escape the negative downward spiral.  What I really love is when I get unexpected encouragement from someone when I really need it.  It can be something as simple as a Facebook comment, blog comment (hint, hint) or a smile from a stranger.  Knowing how much it helps me, lately I’ve been making more of an effort to do this for others.  Have you encouraged anyone lately?

I wanted to share a video I recorded of Tim singing one of my favorite songs.  He wrote this song for his sister, but I like to pretend he wrote it for me because the lyrics encourage/inspire me so much and I need to hear them often.  The album version (from A Sucker’s Dream) is incredible and includes Patty Griffin singing backup vocals.  Enjoy!

Desdemona

Desdemona, help yourself
I hear you mourning at the dawn
Desdemona, ask which side
Of all this lying are you on

Did you build yourself a runway?
Did you tell yourself tomorrow?
Did you cry?
And are you dressed in hesitation
when you tell yourself that everything’s alright?

Cause I see a distance in your smile
And what your Mondays have become
could be the rest of your life
Desdemona, you’re not dead yet
No it’s not wrong
If you want everything in life under the sun
Under the sun

Desdemona, you’re in love
Do not forget about yourself
Desdemona, bring the people
That you love inside your hell

Cause you are younger in the eyes of those who see you
Please forget about the time
Throw yourself out on these brave and empty branches
In the winter waiting high

Everybody’s out there killing time
But I will be damned to let you stand here killing mine
Don’t you know we’re gonna change a whole world today
Stop waiting on the world to change

Desdemona, we are not so very different
Do you see?
At the moment braver still
Than what our minds let us believe

Even the walls that will surround you
Somehow steady by your very own hands
I don’t know just how to change you
All I know is how to tell you that you can

Cause I’ll never tell you how to live
But you keep on telling me
That’s just the way it is
Desdemona more then anything I know
Never tell yourself that’s just the way it goes
I know it goes
But what do I know