I try to get in
I try to push past
the walls keeping me stuck
in the supporting cast

I smile and nod
I try to talk
But I know I don't belong
Eventually, away I'll walk

I want to try
I want to fit in
But what's natural to others
only leaves me with questions

I'm stuck on the outside
A stranger among friends
I don't know when this feeling stops
I don't know if it ever ends

So I'll keep walking
and hum my own song
dreaming of that place
where I can belong

Come, let's all gather together
Don't look at the sky, ignore the weather
Leave behind your strife and disdain
And join us for another summer night on Church and Main

Bobby opens the night with some rocking tunes
Backed up by Bruce the Bassist who's kind of a loon
Pull up a chair, grab a drink, stay for the night
Make a new friend?  You never know, you just might.

Drink and eat until your stomachs are full
Then prepare yourselves for another Marc Original
Hear Jason rocking out with his own style
If you're lucky, you'll hear someone you haven't heard in a while

Up comes Frank and Jane - Sorry, Jane and Frank
So stick around, it won't break the bank
Chris and Chris are coming up to the mic
Kara's on her keys with Emily at her side, it's gonna be a great night

Jon's gonna go before it gets too late
I don't know what Don's doing, but I know it'll be great
The sun's going down, but Tim's on his guitar
So stay a little longer, don't go far

Before we go for the night, welcome EVERYONE to the stage!
When we're all together, the music leaps off the page
The only thing that can stop us is the rain
So let's enjoy these summer nights on Church and Main

I hear you creeping through the night
spindly fingers reaching closer
whispering in my ear
reminding me why I should be afraid

If I look round, you're not there
But I can feel you in the prickles on my neck
You're in the goosebumps on my arms
You step to the beating of my heart

The light chases you away,
but I can't always find the switch
Even when I open my eyes
you're still waiting for me

You live in the corner of the room
the one with cobwebs where the light doesn't go
In the shadow that nothing casts
And the scraping in a forgotten room

I can't run away from you
You're everywhere I go
Always right behind me
Breathing down my neck

You don't yell, you don't speak
Your voice is only a whisper
That's all it needs to be
To make me afraid of you

Your humor used to bring people together
You spoke of family, of kids growing up in tough times
We laughed with you about it
Never knowing with whom we were laughing

We sang about chocolate cake
Of going back to bed, like we'd wanted to
The jokes were shared by so many people
Now they only fall flat

We can't laugh anymore
You took that from us
But those memories are ours to keep
So all that's left to say is...

Thank you for sharing
I'm glad for those years of laughter
Of the talk of good kids going bad
Even if you turned out to be one of them

It doesn't take courage to ignore your fears
It takes ignorance and arrogance
Fear is the natural response to potential harm
But no matter how small that harm is
Fear can still creep in and take control
Hold you in place, stop you from acting
Muddle your mind, wipe it clean
The simplest acts seem daunting with fear in the equation
Like speaking out
Saying "hello" or "thank you"
Standing up for someone in need
Isn't it easier to stay quiet
Even when a few simple words could change your life
Fear says "it's not worth the price"
Unless courage is part of the equation
Courage isn't the lack of fear
It's telling fear "no"
Even when your heart's pounding
Your mouth's dry and your head's light
When fear tells you what could go wrong
Courage looks you in the eye and says
"Do it anyway"

It happens again and again
I heard the beauty you made
And now I have to speak louder
Making my voice heard over yours
Thinking, knowing that my words
will be held up to yours
even if others aren't doing it
I still am, I hear how my words sound
This doesn't sound right
This doesn't flow right
This doesn't feel right
And now, once again, I'm in that hole
It isn't your fault, it's mine
I put myself there every time
Now I have to climb up, struggling to get free
to find what I know is me
But it isn't right yet
And I don't know if it ever will be
But I have to keep climbing
To get out of the hole I dig
Because I hate it down there
And I want to be free

Knowledge is powerful
Ignorance is pervasive
Wisdom is crucial
Care must be taken

Knowledge can remove Ignorance
If it's given the chance
It must be applied with Wisdom
And spared more than a passing glance

No one can be forced to listen
That's not how being human works
We've all lived different lives
and developed our own special quirks

Knowledge can't destroy Ignorance alone
It only offers the possibility
but what people do next is up to them
it's now their responsibility

I took roots and stood still
allowing the world to pass me by
Until I looked up one night
and saw a shooting star fly by

You were so bright and colorful
I'd never seen something so unique
I wanted so much for you to stay
for your light to be something I could keep

I couldn't believe my eyes
when you slowed down for me
I thought maybe you'd stay
But I could see you wanted to leave

I grabbed hold and held tightly
While you thrashed and burned
Neither of us gave in
Until we'd both been hurt

So I let you go
and watched you fly away
Deep down I knew
I'd never see you again

But you came back
And this time I let you be
Because you're still a shooting star
and I'm still a tree

The rain falls and cleanses my soul
as I dance barefoot on the grass
The trees applaud when I take a bow
They're thrilled with my show
Everyone else is inside
I don't understand why
Who would want to miss this?
Being among nature brings such bliss
The wind and rain, the sky and sea
They are all such good friends with me
I can talk with ease
to the flowers and trees
Sheltered among branches and vines
The rest of the world can't get me, I'm fine
Now I sit and dream with my friends
They'll support me until my journey ends
We listen, I to them and them to me
Like the wind, my ideas flow freely
It's the best place I could be
this world of the rain and trees

A brightly colored thread weaves through space
Its color, indescribable
It only knows that it is different
from every other thread

It loops and ducks
It twists and turns
Crossing other threads
Seemingly at random

Sometimes, threads intertwine
And new threads emerge
Sometimes, a thread's journey stops short
It can never know why

Millions of threads
Millions of lives
Twisting and changing
All ignorant of the grand design

To the threads there is no design
No grand scheme
Only the organized chaos
They all call life

It's been a long journey
and though we don't know where it ends
We're almost there
I can feel it

It's been a difficult journey
Those who could walk, walked
Those who couldn't walk, we carried
But we couldn't carry everyone

It's been a strange journey
Different than anything we've faced before
We mustn't forget all that we've learned
We mustn't forget all that we've lost

It's been a tiring journey
The end is still far away
But if we walk together
I know we'll make it

Such a soft touch
My hand in yours
So simple
So gentle
May it never end

ADHD kept talking
and Depression began scheming
He mumbled something to Anxiety
and Anxiety started screaming

Happiness couldn't take it
and ran far away
ADHD got desperate
and started listening to hate

He found joy in pain
it made the screaming cease
but nothing lasted forever
they couldn't find their peace

Until Kindness came along
and held Anxiety
the noise died down
and he finally quieted

Kindness smiled at Depression
no matter how Hate protested
And breathed with ADHD
until he finally rested

Sometimes Kindness tires
Sometimes there's too much to take
But Happiness will return
If they don't listen to Hate

It's hard to ignore fear
It will keep you safe, I know
It keeps you alive, but see
that it doesn't let you live

You've got to look past the fear
See the bright sun up above
It's a long climb to reach it
The clouds might shroud it in shadow

But a new day's on its way
I'm sure it will be better than this
Bringing with it millions of possibilities
for life and joy and hope

The chance for happiness may be bleak
It may seem like it's torn from your grasp
That someone you loved is gone
Not long after you met

But there's always a spark of hope
A light shining in the black
It might not be what you wanted
It's still good, nonetheless

So survive to live your life
Keep looking forward to the dawn
When the sun will rise and end the night
And hope will shine again

Remember when this started?
This whole unending nightmare
It began, and darkness fell
We were all scared

It's frustrating to see
People in charge doing nothing
It's hard to see an end
to this endless night

We're still scared
People still do nothing
But we've seen the best in others
The spark of hope in the dark

We've made it this far
It's still a long way to go
But we'll get there
And we'll do it together

Fear waits around every corner
In every dark alleyway
Behind the eyes of every stranger
Sheltered in the unseen and unknown

A shadow lurking in the dark
Whispering in your ear
The predator, waiting for its prey
To let down its guard

But fear keeps us safe
Reminds us not to get too close
It's easier to let fear take hold
To shut us off from the world

It's only trying to help
And it's hard to get close
Trust and happiness are gifts
Ripped away as soon as they've been given

Fear tells us how much we'll suffer
It whispers from the dark
To remind us not to get hurt
That it's not worth the price

That's the choice of the whisper
Stay safe alone in the dark
Or risk the pain of getting close
for a fleeting moment of happiness

Life knocks me down, I get back up
Nothing keeps me down, not forever
The storm gets worse, I rise up
I can bear some bad weather

Flying on the wings of hope
I'll soar above my fears
The sun shining on clouds below
I'll wipe away my tears

Life gets hard, I get harder
It's tough, but it's all I've got
I'll stick it through, pushing farther
Living every day for me and my lot

Flying on the wings of hope
I'll look to the rising sun
Ignore my doubts and woes
Learning to have some fun

Some days it's hard to get up
On my mistakes I sometimes dwell
But my heart won't let me give up
I know all will be well

Flying on the wings of hope
Rising above the pain
There's no time to mope
I've got to enjoy the rain

Flying on the wings of hope
Remembering the people who care
For them, for me, I'll learn to cope
And always stay in the air

Flying on the wings of hope

Lost in the dark
it feels like no one's there
But there's always someone
Someone who cares

It's okay not to fit in
This just isn't your place
When in doubt, look inside
And you'll find a smiling face

Somewhere out there
You'll find a reason to keep going
To open your eyes and see the sun
and that the future before you is glowing

So look to the rising sun
You are as bright as the sky
It's time to begin your journey
Don't be afraid; spread your wings and fly

Swirling darkness all around
It's all I hear, the only sound

Is this what life is?
A black, unending abyss?

I was told I was special, did they lie?
If not, why am I so lost?  Why?

I fall deeper into the pit
That's all there is, this is it

This is life now, endless black.
I don't know if I can ever go back

To the old days that shone like the sun
I remember the smiles, I remember the fun

But I can't have that now, it's all gone
There's nothing, those days are done

I'm alone, I always will be
I'm unwanted, I must be

Alone... Unwanted... Unloved

I'm so glad you're here
you've given everyone cheer
So I'd just like to say
That you made a difference today

You don't have to be the funniest voice
You don't need to make the most noise
You only have to be near
Because you made a difference here

Showing up shows you care
Even though there's a fare
It's not the same without you
You make a difference, you do

You're different from the rest
You don't have to pass some fancy test
Seeing you improved my day
So you made a difference today

Sometimes it might feel
like no one will listen to you
that your troubles aren't enough
for people to stop and care

There's no standard metric of pain
No scale on which your suffering may be judged
No committee to tell you it's not enough
No forms or tests or assessments

Pain is pain
Yours and mine are different
You needn't suffer more than me
For me to offer you my hand

If it hurts, speak up
I'll sit down and listen
Don't be afraid to share
I understand how you feel

I love that face
Don't change it
I can see you inside

It's real
never fake
You're happy without smiling

I can see through you
To the smile on the inside
It's in your eyes

I'm here when you fall asleep
And again when you wake up
I'll stay here by your side
I'll keep you safe always

Open your eyes and awaken
Don't be afraid of a new day
Put your mind to it and you'll succeed
All you have to do is try

The world outside is scary
But I'll be right here to help
I'll hold your hand and watch
while you hold everyone else's

When the darkness sets in
I'm ready to go to work
I've got hundreds of memories
to remind you that you're good

Don't forget that you're worth it all
I've got enough love for the two of us
And you've got enough hope and kindness
for everyone else that needs it

Good times and bad times
I'll be here through it all
So go ahead and take that first step
I'm here to catch you if you fall

I watch you while you sleep
Infecting your dreams
You can't run away from me
I'm always waiting for you

You're a failure at everything
There's no place for you here
Behind the false smiles
Everyone wants you to leave

Fear isn't the bad guy
It's what keeps you safe
Be afraid of everything
And nothing will hurt you

Don't trust them, trust me
They'll hurt you, I know it
You're not worth saving
Nor protecting nor praising

Kindness exists in fairy tales
But this is the real world
It's cold and unforgiving
And love is only a weakness

So stick with me for protection
I guarantee you'll be fine
After all misery loves company
And we've got nothing but time