Who we are meant to be

From the Heart

If you have not seen the movie. “The Greatest Showman” I would say to you, do not walk, but run, to your nearest theater. Be ready to engage your soul to the music and story of what may become one of the favorite movies of your lifetime.

From the first few beats of the music, your entire being will be grabbed. There is no viewer discretion. It is one for all ages.

Can you tell I loved the movie? I say that with the most passion the word “love”, for a movie, invokes.

It is a beautiful story of love and redemption. The marginalized people are celebrated. Happy day! Halleujah!

Anyone who has ever been made to feel “less than” will be moved. Words that have cut you to the quick of your soul will be heard again. Those words will be sung again into existence only this time they will make you stronger.

“This is Me” is sung by Keala Settle, who plays the bearded lady. Every time I listen to the soundtrack (which is a lot) I feel as though I have been to church.

The storyline of this movie is told not only in the words spoken but the lyrics of the songs. Music speaks to the heart. Music speaks to the soul.

Anyone who has ever been broken by being made to feel less than. Anyone who has the scars of ugly words that were cast upon them. Anyone who has been afraid to step out of the darkness of their past. Anyone who has watched someone struggle with being different. You all need to see this movie.

Who amongst us has not felt this way? Maybe not to the degree the “different” people of the circus felt, but exclusion hurts to any degree. Even P.T. Barnum was made to feel less than because of his being raised poor.

Sometimes the actions and the voices from our past are stirred up and then spill over into how we feel and respond in our present. They are captured in a vat of hurt and shame. What do we do with them? Brokenness. Ugliness. Cruel words. We become slaves to the opinions of others.

Then in a moment of recognition we look into the mirror of our soul and we realize … WE ARE WHO WE ARE MEANT TO BE.

We are stronger because of being broken. Our hurt or our shame no longer keeps us hidden. We become a light escaping from the darkness. Our hearts are softer and we can feel empathy because we have been there. Our scars become a tattoo of beauty that the world needs to see. The words no longer beat us down but lift us up to where we are meant to be.

Our battle cry becomes “We are Glorious!” We become brave. Yes, we are who we are meant to be and then … we can make a difference in the lives of others.