Rise Up by Andra Day

Photo by Miles Storey on Unsplash

You’re broken down and tired. Of living life on a merry-go-round.

The opening lyrics to Rise Up by Andra Day from the album Cheers to the Fall. A beautiful song which reflects something of the challenge all of us face in life.

In this emotionally charged tune, Day speaks of that feeling we get when we are tired of battling the struggles of life; And you can’t find the fighter. We can begin to feel overwhelmed, exhausted by a lack of hope. It’s a common human feeling, that we cannot carry on fighting against the things which hold us back or put us down. It’s a feeling which can lead us to despair and depression. As the lyrics emphasise:

When the silence isn’t quiet and it feels like it’s getting hard to breathe. And I know you feel like dying …

But this is not a song of despair. It’s a song of empathy, encouraging in times of overwhelming difficulty. It’s a song which declares:

I’ll rise up … I promise we’ll take the world to its feet and move mountains.

So how? The hint is the we in the lyrics above. When we are not strong enough to carry on we need others around us who are strong enough to walk with us and see the potential. We need people who can see the light at the end of the tunnel and believe it’s not a train. Those who can see and believe for us that whilst we might be in our own metaphorical night, we will rise like the day. The people around us who will stick with us because; I see it in you so we gonna walk it out.

This dependency on other people is not a sign of weakness of a lack of independence. It’s simply a recognition that there are times when; All we need is hope and for that we have each other. Indeed, it could be argued that true independence leads us to a state where we recognise our interdependence. We are both self-sufficient and in need of relationship with others if we are to truly thrive.

One final important aspect of the song is its ordinariness. The song isn’t describing unique or obscure circumstances; I’ll rise up and I’ll do it a thousand times again. It’s describing the challenges of everyday life and the reality of a life improved by relational resilience. A life in which, with the support of others we can; … rise unafraid. High like the waves, in spite of the ache.

Are you in need of rising up once again? Why not consider booking an appointment with the author, Dr Dave Wood of Realign Coaching via Keia.