SEE IF YOUR PERSPECTIVE SHIFTS with THESE 4 STEPS:

1. Read the lyrics below and form your own meaning.

2. Next, hit the play button on the first video - but do not watch the video, just listen to it.

3. Then, after you have your own version of what the song means to you - watch the video and listen to it.

4. Finally, listen to Andra Day's perspective on the meaning of it to her in the last video.

It's a fun little exercise to encourage us all - to keep our minds and hearts open - to a new perspective.

My perspective changed with this song pretty drastically this year.

(Spoiler Alert! Don't read this part until you do the exercise!! I want you to try it and form your own perspective!)

I originally found "Rise Up" when I was looking for a theme song for this website for the Humans of the Atlanta BeltLine work I was doing. I truly feel that the Atlanta BeltLine is so special for several reasons, but one of my favorites is that it serves as a "common ground" where strangers interact with each other - no matter what their background, socioeconomic situation, age, race - you name it. Trump had just gone into office and everyone was becoming so divided so I thought the BeltLine was a bit of a saving grace for us here.

It got interesting to me though when I watched the video and then it had an entirely new meaning to me (you'll see). 

And then finally, I heard this song right before a big meeting for me this year - and it was as if God's voice came directly through the speakers and was telling me that - "I've got you, Jess" - regardless of the outcome of the meeting. The first verse was God talking to me, then it became a "we" in the middle, and then it was as if I was saying the last part to God.

But, weird - huh?

I guess that's why music and other forms of art are so interesting - because you can enjoy it in the moment and come back to it later and it can have an entirely new meaning - without ever changing a single aspect of the piece.

It's because - we change.

Our perspective shifts.

- - -

RISE UP

You're broken down and tired
Of living life on a merry go round
And you can't find the fighter
But I see it in you so we gonna walk it out
And move mountains
We gonna walk it out
And move mountains

And I'll rise up
I'll rise like the day
I'll rise up
I'll rise unafraid
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
And I'll rise up
High like the waves
I'll rise up
In spite of the ache
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousands times again
For you
For you
For you
For you

When the silence isn't quiet
And it feels like it's getting hard to breathe
And I know you feel like dying
But I promise we'll take the world to its feet
And move mountains
We'll take it to its feet
And move mountains

And I'll rise up
I'll rise like the day
I'll rise up
I'll rise unafraid
I'll rise up
And I'll do it a thousand times again
For you
For you
For you
For you

All we need, all we need is hope
And for that we have each other
And for that we have each other
We will rise
We will rise
We'll rise, oh oh
We'll rise

I'll rise up
Rise like the day
I'll rise up
In spite of the ache
I will rise a thousands times again
And we'll rise up
Rise like the waves
We'll rise up
In spite of the ache
We'll rise up
And we'll do it a thousands times again
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you oh oh oh oh oh
For you

Songwriters: Cassandra Monique Batie / Jennifer Decilveo