This week I am going to introduce you to one of my favorite people who is an amazing songwriter, my husband Tracy. In fact, you will get to hear a new song that he wrote. We will also continue to discuss the importance of loving and accepting ourselves and others just as we are. But first, I want to thank you all for reading the Awakened2Love blog and welcome our new subscribers. My last article, From Religious Abuse to Becoming Whole Again, seemed to resonate with many of you. I am obviously not happy that so many people have experienced spiritual abuse, but it is a beautiful thing when we can connect with one another through sharing similar life experiences and find community and comfort in knowing we are not alone.
Back in 1982, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney wrote and sang these words:
We all know that people are the same where ever you go
There is good and bad in ev'ryone
We learn to live, we learn to give
Each other what we need to survive together alive
They longed for a world where people live in perfect harmony, just like the black and white keys on a piano. I have that same longing today and maybe you do too. One of the key points is acknowledging and accepting that “there is good and bad in ev’ryone” and loving ourselves and everyone else, warts and all. We are all imperfect humans, with strengths and weaknesses, yin and yang, beautiful and ugly parts. And that’s ok.
My husband and I grew up believing that we were unworthy and not enough (as I discussed in my previous article). We were taught that there is nothing good in us and also read that we were “fearfully and wonderfully made”(Psalms 139:14). We were told that we need to have good self-esteem which just seemed like another area where we were failing to measure up and therefore contributed to our poor self-esteem! It’s difficult to find a healthy balance between self-deprecating humility and an over-inflated ego. Sometimes doing life with people who love you unconditionally and yet will shine a light on your growth opportunities can help you find that balance. My husband Tracy has helped me grow into a truer, happier and healthier version of me over the years and I think I have done the same for him. You might say our marriage has been like a crucible dish, refining us over the years into better people who feel more comfortable in our own skin. We have weathered many growing pains and trials and traumas, and come through stronger and closer than ever. Maybe you have one or more relationships that have helped you grow and evolve as well.
Many of us are easily caught up in “us vs. them” thinking, where everything is black and white, all good or all bad, all right or all wrong. This kind of thinking keeps us from building relationships with people we see as different or wrong. It keeps us from exploring other viewpoints and educating ourselves about ideologies and experiences that are different from what we have known. With this duality mindset, we restrict or limit our own freedom and capacity to love others. To paraphrase Paul and Stevie (and Tracy in his new song below), let’s try to remember that we are all mixtures of good and bad and that we can give each other the love and acceptance that we all need to survive and thrive.
Ever since he came into my life 27 years ago, I have been the biggest fan of Tracy Fletcher. I am so proud of the man he is, his many accomplishments, his resilience and grace, and his incredible creativity. It is my honor and joy to walk through life by his side. He has always possessed a love and gift of music, and recently he has written and recorded an album titled This Is Who I Am which expresses his love and acceptance of himself and others. He will be releasing one new song each week this fall. The first new song is now online. It is titled “I Am Beauty (and the Beast)” and you can view the lyric video on YouTube here. The lyric video also provides information on how to obtain a free copy of the new album. I will be sharing links to his other songs in future blog posts over the next couple of months. As always, we would love to hear your thoughts and experiences in the comments below. Have a love-ly day!
I just restacked this in Notes because it rings so true for me. As I said there, my husband Steve and I have been married for 32 years and definitely helped each other in the way you describe.
I like it!!
Thanks for sharing Tracy’s song.