An ode to self: Words by Skylar Grey

We have all heard that words have power. But words embody so much more- they are a movement of thought, feeling, hurt, love and so many unsaid emotions. Whenever I listen to Words by Skylar Grey, it brings a profound realisation to me.

But before that, a bit about this incredible artist. She is a five-time Grammy Award nominated, Grammy winning, multi platinum artist, producer & multi instrumentalist who has written/or collaborated with other artists like Eminem, Rihanna, Diddy and Lupe Fiasco. She wrote Love the way you lie song for which has earned her Grammy as well. Words is a part of a 3-EP track which has her version of the 3 famous songs she worked on. The song is her dedication to her grandfather who she lost & couldn't spend much time with, as a reminder to hold the ones we love, close.

Now, back to my profound realisation :) I first heard this song in Step up Revolution, the dance movie and its lived rent free in my mind ever since. Her voice comes through with its raw prowess, serenading you towards wistful memories & emotions & touching your soul. For me, it's not just a song of longing, of unrequited love, but of actions that we want to take but don't.

It's a song about unrealised potential, the one which we always have, always had. It's a love letter to the you, that you want to be but haven't become. To be that, means to go through a journey of emotion and pain which you might want to take but tell yourself that you cant. That somehow you aren't enough. That somehow you need to learn more, to be more to be that version.

It's a song like this which makes you want to truly reflect, introspect the deep recesses of your mind and self that you hide behind layers of yourself that you have built for everyone, for friends and loved ones and forgotten about. It's the version that craves the sunshine of your love & gets to be in the shadows the most. It's the strength of whom with which you were able to vanquish a thousand battles for which you have scars to prove, wounds that have made you stronger. The self that's always longing, on the other side & waiting for you to realise that you can connect with it whenever you wanted. You just have to choose.

The lyrics poignantly capture the reverberations of conflict and discord that we all go through a million times a day and let our inauthentic layers win. It's a battle with all those walls that are supposed to defend you against the world but have now become the version of yourself today. You want to break free, but the chains of expectations never let you break, never let you taste freedom. Its in these trials and tribulations you understand- you are your own liberation. Your own saviour.

Today, as I listen to this song on a bright breezy Sunday morning, I delve deep in this realisation that it's not too late, that if you wanted, you can become the very version you want, are proud of and is your most authentic, raw and unfiltered self.

That there is a warm embrace waiting on the other side with every step you take towards this beautiful self, an embrace of love, an embrace of acceptance, an embrace that seeks to heal lifetimes to sculpt you into this wonderful being- your powerful self. The one which was always supposed to be you.

So, I know what I am writing to my future self today, nay, reaffirming with this song- I will return baptised from the depths of the oceans of my self doubt, of keeping myself in chains and connect with you, my authentic self. I yearn to meet you.

PS: I would urge you to hear this song. Sharing the Spotify link- https://open.spotify.com/album/0HaOiEYhgyY5H2jdTDNTkE of Buried sessions of Skylar Grey.