In the shower,
I can't help but grin
as the water burns my skin.
I can't deny that the pleasure and pain
Drives me insane.
It's funny how simply standing
Under an artificial rain
Can bring so much peace
And offer access to the deepest
Thoughts in our brains.
And then you turn it off,
And your body steams
As you watch it all go down the drain.
Then you get out,
And you can't believe you're cold again.
Just keep moving forward, and until then, remember when.

I ran from responsibility.
I ran from my fears.
And now, I'm running into your arms because you're here.

I didn't know what you'd say.
I didn't know what you'd do.
That day l asked
"Will you let me love you?"
With tears falling from your eyes
I wish I could say I was surprised
When you replied
"No"
Even though I already knew,
I had to ask why.
"Why?
Because I refuse to listen to your heart
Break as you watch me die."
My heart's already been broken.
It breaks every time
I walk out that door.
Please, you don't have to suffer alone
Anymore."
You say "it's not fair to you"
As you let your face hide
Behind a curtain of your Auburn hair.
"You're right. It's not fair to me.
Not fair to you. But that's another thing we could share. I love you."
"I love you too."
4 little words made my heart whole.
4 little words, and now she's forever a part of my mind, body, and soul.

As the world turns, a fire burns.
And as that fire burns, another one dies.
As the world turns, a baby cries.
But this should come as no surprise
Every day, the earth spins around and around.
And it'll still be spinning long after we move underground.
As far as we know, this is the only life we've got.
So don't be afraid to live for yourself.
Go ahead. Take your shot

It's hard to live
But easy to die.
It's hard to love
But still we try.
It's hard to believe
That things can get better.
But life can change
As quick as the weather.

A knife. A gun.
These instruments usually inspire
One feeling. One thought. Fear. Run.
But for some people, it could inspire
A completely different thought.
"Just one."
"One slice. One bullet. No more pain.
No more voices in my head
Driving me insane.
It's amazing. One is such a small number, but it can change so much.
One slice. One bullet. One kiss.
One hug. One touch.
All it takes is one person to say
"I love you. I care."
Be that "one."
See how much of a difference you can make by saying "if you want to talk, I'll be there."

You seek Opportunities
But if you work hard, be patient,
Opportunities will look for you.

With friends and family near,
Holiday cheer is here
Even though it's been a trying year.
And though we've shed some tears,
With more to come I'm sure,
Let's raise our wine, eggnog, or beer
In honor of us for making it
And in honor of those who aren't with us physically anymore.

if you tell me I'm wrong,
I won't try to change your mind.
I have better things
To do with my time.
And if you think you can find someone
Better for you than me,
Then go. Be free.
I won't try to change your mind.
Because I love with eyes wide open.
Never blind.
Never again.

everytime I saw your face,
I thought I saw beauty and grace.
You put a spell on me
and made me think I was in a better place.  
I thought I needed you, but suddenly, it's so clear to see. All I need is me.

Life as a cat? That's where it's at.
The cat is so beloved, the humans offer a beach of crystals to use as a toilet each week.
We may be fancy, but don't fall for those ridiculous stories. we don't wear hats or speak.
As a cat, you get to sleep all day. Then, when you wake up, the humans are ready to play.
If they get annoying, just bat them with your paw and they'll usually go away.
If an intruder makes its presence known, scratch and *** on the walls to let them know "you're in my space. This is my home and mine alone."
Well, I think that's all I have to say. Remember, show your humans love, and you'll be treated like a god for the rest of your days.

Feeling numb from my head to my feet.
Like a musician who can't hear the beat.
But that's what happens
when you're making your name in the streets.
Can't trust anyone you meet.
So where do you start
when you can't trust anyone,
let alone your own heart?
You take your time.
Think everything through.
Because only you know
what's best for you

Whether i had a million dollars or not even a dime to my name,
as long as im with you its all the same.
It doesn't matter if we lived in a mansion or a cardboard box.
As long as im with you its all the same.
On our wedding day, I cant promise I wont cry
as your father walks you down the aisle
and you leave his arm for mine.
If, down the road, you decide i cant make you happy anymore,
i will let you leave even though it will break me at the core.
Don't worry. I won't try to win you back.
You gave me a lifetime of happiness
and that's all I can ask.
I got through the days before I met you
so i know i can do it again
but if you ask me to rate my happiness it wont be a 10.
Life is the name of the game.
And once you find the one you love, it will never be the same

If there's really a heaven and hell,
Baby you don't have to tell
Me where I'm going to.
Don't be afraid for my soul.
I'm still alive; still in control.
And for now, I have you by my side.
You, who makes me feel safe and sound.
You, who keeps my feet on the ground.
And when we look at each other,
We know we've found
Heaven on earth

I want to know why.
I want to know how.
I want to know what's on your mind right now.
I want to know what you've seen.
I want to know your pain
So maybe someday I can relieve
Some of the pressure
That suffocates your brain.

Lately, I've been afraid to sleep.
Every time I start to dream,
I'm greeted by a banshee scream.
I find myself running but don't seem to go anywhere.
It feels like I'm on a set of m.c. escher stairs.
Eventually, I end up stumbling and fall.
And when I look up, I see the scariest thing of all.
She showed me a vision of a wall.
Engraved in the stones were all of the words I had been dying to say.
I thought I lost them.
But there they were just a few feet away.
The banshee screamed again and the ground started to shake.
The wall started to crumble and I knew I needed to fight. There was too much at stake.
I closed my eyes and focused on trying to breathe.
Then I started to believe.
I believed in myself.
That I'd find the words again.
And just like that, when I woke up, I found them right where they should have been.
Bottom line, don't be afraid to dream. Because eventually, you will realize everything is not what it seems.

If you don't know, I can't tell you who you are.
I can't tell what you'll be
But I can tell you what I see.
When I look in your eyes,
I can see pain you've been trying to disguise.
I see you hoping you can find hope.
And when I look at your face,
I see someone who can never be replaced.
I can see you feel 100 years older
Because you've been carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders.
Watching your chest move when you put your hand on your heart, that's proof you're human.
And if you want to find out who you are,
that's a good place to start.
In the end, it doesn't matter what I see.
All that matters is you find a way to love who you are
and look forward to who you'll be.

have you ever wondered why the sky turns gray when it rains?
well, in every creature, there is darkness, and there is light.
and when you start to give up the fight,
the fight for happiness, love, life, when you start to lose hope,
the darkness starts to bleed into your light. but it's okay.
the color can come back. first, ask to talk to someone.
ask them to listen.
then, hold nothing back. don't stop until you understand
how you feel. what you want.
don't worry. it's not selfish to talk about it.
not to the people who care about you.
it will take time, but if you do this, someday, a rainbow will come shining through

I'm not here for the silver and gold.
I am here to find somebody to hold.
Someone to wrap their arms around me tight
And make me forget it's a cold winter night.
It's been ten years since you stole my heart.
Now look where we are.
We've come so far from the start.
As you lie with me, watching the fire glow,
I still can't believe I'm the one that you chose.
We were friends in a small town,
Then we became something more.
I can't believe i never knew it was you I was waiting for.
We were friends in a small town,
Then you said "I do."
Because of you, I believe that dreams can come true.

Money. Cars. Jewelry. Life.
What do these things have in common?
Value.
We value money because of the things we can do with it.
We value the comfort and convenience of cars.
But they're not part of who we are.
We say jewelry is valuable because of the time that is taken. The care.
We value the looks people give when they gawk and stare.
We value life because we are alive.
Without life, we wouldn't be able to enjoy spending money, wear jewelry, or know how free you can feel when you drive.
But there's one thing missing from the list.
One thing we always seem to forget.
Ourselves.

I understand there will be times the words I say won't be the ones you hear.
And you might lash out in anger
disguised as fear.
Fear that one day, we'll fight, I'll leave,
and never come back.
But once you calm down, like you always do,
I'll be there to remind you that sometimes, words get lost in translation.
And it's OK, because it happens to everyone.

I didn't want you to stay.
But I'm glad you did.
I didn't want you to go.
But I'm glad you did.

Sometimes, I wish I could stop breathing
for more than a minute.
Because breathing means I'm fighting.
And God, I can't tell you the last time
I thought I had a good reason why.
Maybe it's in my blood.
Maybe it's just a matter of time.
Or maybe, just maybe...
you don't need to have a good reason to fight.

It's not the end of the world.
It's not even the end of the day.
Just because the sky is gray
Doesn't mean the sun can't come out
As if to say "it's okay."
Remember. We see the world in color.
If you don't like the ones you see,
Just close your eyes and breathe.
Please don't give up, and I promise you'll see it's not the end.

"I wish I could fight."
"You can."
"How? I don't know how
to punch or move."
"You fight with words.
It's called kung fu typing."
"Kung fu typing?
Did you just make that up?
Doesn't sound very cool."
"It's not supposed to be.
But if you master it,
you'll never need to worry
about not knowing
how to punch or move."

I told you once.
I told you twice.
If I have to tell you again, I'm going to stop being nice.
It doesn't matter if you're black or white.
Gay or straight.
The longer you live, the more you realize love doesn't discriminate. And when this truth becomes real,
so does the truth that you are worthy of love and your heart can heal

It's a scary time.
A time where there's a lot
we don't understand.
We can't even take each other's hand.
But I don't need to hold your hand
To make me feel safe.
Just one look in your eyes
Is all it takes.

Once upon a time,
I was just a lad
with a book in my hand.
It told tales of a faraway land
Nearly lost to the sands.
For 1,001 nights, I wished I could visit
Such a magical place.
But when I grew older,
I realized something.
You should have seen my face
When I realized I never had to wish
I could be there.
I already was there every time I read.
And i'm glad that's a magic so great, it gets to be shared all over the world

Give me your pain so I can understand
Give me your love
so I can be a better man.
Give me your hope
When I've had a bad day.
Give me words
when I can't find ones to say.
Whatever you can give, I'll take it all.
And in return,
I'll break down my walls.

Sometimes, you're gonna make mistakes.
Sometimes, you're gonna say the wrong thing.
But in time, you'll learn that doesn't mean you've done something wrong.
Sometimes, you're gonna crash and burn.
But sometimes, that's the only way we learn.
Now that you've lived and learned, you can move on.
So don't be afraid when you fall.
Go ahead, break down your walls.
You're gonna see beauty you never knew was there before.
Go on, hold your head high.
Jump up, reach for the sky.
And remember
Sometimes, there will be days nothing turns out right.
But someday, everything will be alright.

I close my eyes hoping for a lullaby.
You can imagine my disappointment when one doesn't come
No matter how hard I try.

only time will tell
how far you've come.
Only time will tell
How far you'll go.
Only time will tell
How much you've learned.
Only time will tell
How much you've grown.
Only time will tell
How much you've lived.
Only time will tell
When you'll die.
But since we don't know
What time will say,
Let's try to make the most
Of every day.

You can call me names and make me fall.
But you don't know what I can do when my back's against the wall.
You can mock me and tell me I look like a freak.
But it's okay because these things don't make me weak.
We're all different. So why are we so afraid of how people walk, talk or think?
We're all different. So let's embrace it and have a drink.

I'm not one to judge.
Hard to hold a grudge.
I promise,  anything you want to say
Will be safe with me.
I know it's hard to trust.
They left you in the dust.
But don't let that stop you
From trying one more time.

Even when you're going through hell,
Even when you think you've found
The bottom of the well,
You still have a story to tell.
And in a world of 7 billion people,
Someone's bound to listen
Whether or not you're under a steeple.
And while you're at it,
That's the best time
to chase your dreams.
Because you don't have much to lose
When you feel you lost yourself years ago.

When I was a kid, all I wanted was to find somewhere I belonged.
Only to find out later, I had that all along.
Because you can’t spell belong without “be.”
And to be is to exist.
I exist. You exist. We all exist. So, we all belong.
But sometimes, it’s not enough.
You can still feel down. You can still feel alone.
And when that happens, just know that, for what it’s worth, you’re not the first who’s felt that way.

I may not know what's coming.
Some days, I can't say that I care.
But that's because I've paved and walked
the road to hell and back,
and lived to tell the tale.
If you're on that road today,
it's not too late to turn back.
Close your eyes. Breathe in, and say "not today."

I'm going to take all of my scars
And build a highway to the stars.
I'll learn how to love myself
And stop living like an elf
Stuck on a shelf.
It will be the hardest journey
Of my life, no doubt.
But in the end, I'll find something
Worth writing about.

you say the cost of living keeps rising so people keep dying.
if that's true, then why should we bother trying?
growing up in small town usa,
the only opportunities for work are dangerous
and offer very little pay.
if you dont have thick skin,
you won't be able to make it through the day.
I need you to say that you believe I have a choice.
that you think people will listen to what i have to say
if i raise my voice.
I don't want to leave, but i know i can't stay.
if i want a chance to live, i'll need to live life my way

Whether I run
In circles, ovals, or squares,
I'll go anywhere
To find someone who cares

I forgot the man I used to be
Trying to become the man I want to be

I'm not here to tell you why or how.
I'm just here to help you through when life goes POW!

So many things went wrong.
So many things went right.
So many things keep me up at night.
But they aren't memories of us
or what we've been through.
What keeps me up at night
are the last words I said to you.

Everyone has the ability to hurt.
Everyone has the ability to heal.
Everyone has the ability to help.
Everyone has the ability to feel.
Everyone has the ability to dream.
Everyone has the ability
to make their dreams come true.
Everyone has abilities.
But what you do with them is up to you.

It's not about me. It's not about you.
It's about what we do.
What we do with the time we have left
With the people we meet.
With the challenges we face.
With the rumors we hear.
When we come face to face
With our fears.
With the love we have.
With the love we lose.
What we do when we have to choose.
What we do when we realize
We have responsibilities.
That's what life's all about to me.

I don't need another friend.
I just need for this dread to end.
Because you can only feel
Impending doom for so long
Before doom comes for you.

I can't believe we've come this far.
Letting us see each other's scars.
I can't believe that you're still here.
Or that you've changed me so much
In less than a year.
I never wanted you to see
That I was an overthinker.
Or how much I love belting out
My favorite songs even though
I'm a bad singer.
I thought you wanted a protector.
That showing my fun side
Would drive you away.
Little did I know, that's exactly why
You decided to stay.

Tonight, I'm going to leave everything on the line
Tonight, I'll be alone again or you'll be mine.
Tonight, I'm facing all my fears.
Regret, loneliness, denial, shame
But that's what you have to risk if you want to play the games of life and love

It's okay to find shapes in the clouds or stand out in the crowd.
It's okay to ask why or if you feel you need to cry.
It's okay to say no.
It's okay if you don't know.
It's okay if your dreams change as you grow.
It's okay if you're wrong.
It's okay if you're right.
It's okay to ask for help
or if you're afraid of the night.
It's okay to sing.
It's okay to love who you love.
It's okay to believe heaven and your god above.
It's okay if you're lonely.
It's okay to admit you're not okay.
But remember. No matter what they say, it's okay

First thing you see on the evening news
Mama cries in a sea of camera crews
She pleas for justice but we just stop and stare.
We could do so much better if we tried to care.
Mama's back to work after a week to grieve.
She can't help but wear her broken heart on her sleeve.
She breaks down and says "I need more time."
Boss says "sorry. There's the unemployment line."
We don't need to change the world.
We just need to change our minds.
We'll see things in a different light
when we pull back the curtains and blinds.
If we remember how to listen to what people say,
Maybe we can find our way back to better days