Breakaway
Winter suits me. The slanted light of short days, the way that breezes pull my hair back from my face. Winter adds a briskness to my walk, a sense of purpose against the cold. The layers that are acceptable in the face of brusque weather. The protection afforded by a coat, a sweater, a scarf, a hat. The protection afforded by being covered. Hidden against the dying light of a blooming night.
Night, winter, cold, belie a birthright. By extension are even more disingenuous to my birth. I was born on Easter. The very pivotal point of spring. When days are warm and flowers are opening tender petals to a soft and forgiving sun. Spring is more my heartsong, the warmth and fragrance, the gentle heat. The promise of things beautiful.
Casting my glance towards the glittering blue of night strewn snow, my path is strewn with slats of soft spring sun. This change is coming and I am powerless to stop it. I am breaking away from the girl of layers. I am breaking away from this life of denial. Out of the darkness and into the sun.
Grew up in a small town
And when the rain would fall down
I’d just stare out my window
Dreaming of what could be
And if I’d end up happy
I would pray
Trying hard to reach out
But when I’d try to speak out
Felt like no one could hear me
Wanted to belong here
But something felt so wrong here
So I’d pray
I could breakaway
I spread my wings and I learn how to fly
I’ll do what it takes til’ I touch the sky
And I’ll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won’t forget all the ones that I loved
I’ll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Wanna feel the warm breeze
Sleep under a palm tree
Feel the rush of the ocean
Get onboard a fast train
Travel on an airplane, far away (I will pray)
And breakaway
I spread my wings and I learn how to fly
I’ll do what it takes til’ I touch the sky
And I’ll make a wish
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won’t forget all the ones that I loved
I’ll take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Buildings with a hundred floors
Swinging with revolving doors
Maybe I don’t know where they’ll take me but
Gotta keep moving on, moving on
Fly away, breakaway
I’ll spread my wings
And I’ll learn how to fly
Though it’s not easy to tell you goodbye
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway
Out of the darkness and into the sun
But I won’t forget the place I come from
I gotta take a risk
Take a chance
Make a change
And breakaway, breakaway, breakaway
-Breakaway Kelly Clarkson
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This week’s giveaway is another tea towel! To enter, leave a comment on this post, I will choose a winner on saturday.
February 19th, 2008 at 10:17 pm
One of my favorite songs! Who would have thought?
February 19th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
spring is a lovely place to be. i hate the gray of winter. it mires me, makes me cold. there is a philosophy of a woman’s heart that says we can’t live in eternal spring because it’s flat unsustainable. we have to let the land lie fallow—rest, sit with angst, and process in order that the green growth of spring bursts anew in our hearts and on this earth.
the frost is slowly easing up in the south. the wind has a tiny bit of warmth to it. on a clear day…
February 19th, 2008 at 11:46 pm
me! me! me!
February 20th, 2008 at 12:52 am
The elegance and melody of your post trumps Kelly Clarkson’s song any day of the week. Not to take anything away from Kelly. Lovely.
February 20th, 2008 at 5:04 am
I agree with jck – you write beautifully, Christine.
That is one of my favorite Kelly Clarkson songs (and yes – I have more than one favorite Kelly Clarkson songs!).
I love spring. This morning, when I was out with my dog, it smelled like spring and it felt good.
Here’s to the shedding of protective layers (clinks tea cups with you)!
February 20th, 2008 at 6:33 am
That was a beautiful bit of writing. Yes, it was introspective, and spoke of your journey towards a whole you; but just in terms of writing for writing’s sake, I loved it. The contrast of winter and spring and using them as metaphor, your description of layering for protection both literally and figuratively, all of it worked perfectly to convey your meaning. Just wonderful.
ps… Im an Easter baby too! Well, I was born on Good Friday (close enough). Are you a March Easter baby or an April Easter baby?
February 20th, 2008 at 6:39 am
It’s good to see the sun shining on you, you’ve been in the darkness far too long.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:43 am
I like winter too, and you described the feeling so well. The South does not suit me at all.
I like that song. It has great meaning.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:33 am
“the glittering blue of night strewn snow” — very pretty.
Lovely post.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:34 am
You should come live here. Wanna buy a house? It is always winter, it seems. Me? I love the spring, when everything is new. It feels like hope. I see you more in the spring, ready to bloom.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:44 am
I was a winter person in Seattle. I loved the snow there. But it never stayed, which was a good thing. Because here, I am not a winter person. I do fine for the first couple months, but the long ass wait for the snow to melt by May makes me stir-crazy. Damn good thing we have gorgeous springs and summers.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:55 am
I don’t think this really counts as ‘winter’ by comparison with England. Winter is o.k. here, I think, winter in England…….I’ll pass thank you.
cheers
February 20th, 2008 at 8:08 am
An Easter baby? What a day to give birth. It seems appropriate, somehow.
February 20th, 2008 at 8:13 am
You had me a tea towel. Did someone say tea towel? I’m in. I have a thing for tea towels.
February 20th, 2008 at 8:20 am
I liked the images of spring and winter as metaphors for your own hibernation and rebirth – very apt.
As always, a delight to read your words!
February 20th, 2008 at 8:29 am
What? Spring? It’s February! That means it will feel like spring for about two weeks or so and then the snow will come back again. Just when everybody put away their winter coats. (Not me though.)
I think it’s unethical for me to take part in the drawing. Nobody said anything about international postage.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:12 am
I dig the layers too… Fall is my favorite season. I like winter, for awhile, and then it gets old and I feel a need to shed the layers (and extra lbs)
February 20th, 2008 at 9:17 am
k is a spring baby… Born on its first day… I love spring now.
February 20th, 2008 at 9:50 am
I like the layers, too. But there’s something about spring that’s hard to resist. Lovely writing.
And lovely lyrics.
February 20th, 2008 at 10:06 am
Mmm spring. I can’t wait.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:39 am
I don’t listen to Kelly Clarkson, but I have heard that song. I feel that way when spring breaks. I was in Napa over the weekend, and saw daffodils blooming. I almost cried. My favorite flower, always heralds the coming of longer, warmer days and chirping birds at sunrise. And spring fever!
lovely post. nice to know someone else enjoys removing layers. happy hump day.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:47 am
You have a way of making winter sounds rather exquisite.
I won’t be swayed, though: I still hate it.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:49 am
My first birthday was on Easter! Hmmmmm? April what?
See, another thing.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:51 am
Break away, you. Beautiful.
I’m here and again stuck on the sowing in autumn and reaping in spring.
February 20th, 2008 at 11:54 am
Fly, Flutter, fly!!!! Spread those wings and soar!
February 20th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
Such beautiful writing.
February 20th, 2008 at 12:43 pm
What JCK said. (I hate to keep copping out by citing other people’s comments, but your readers seem to be unusually deft.)
And I absolutely love your prose. It reads like poetry.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Lovely, lovely post, Flutter. Almost Spring here too. I can’t wait.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:09 pm
loved this flutter…so well written as always.
February 20th, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I’ve got a big truckload o’winter over here for ya….
lovely post, as always
February 20th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Fly girl fly!
(not to be confused with being a fly girl…although, you’d probably rock at that too!)
February 20th, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Flutter, your words are addicting. So very beautiful.
February 20th, 2008 at 6:59 pm
Kelly who?
(Don’t mind me, I don’t have cable… or a tv… or a life.)
February 20th, 2008 at 7:01 pm
it feels all warm over here.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
I’ve always been much more of a winter than a summer person, but I think it’s lovely that you’re coming out into the sun.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:31 pm
Belting it out with you, sister.
In all my tone-deaf glory, and no liquid courage.
February 20th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
I enjoy winter – for about a month. I’m a Summer and Fall girl. And Breakaways are always welcome. I was just planning one tonight. Mmm. Breakaway!
February 20th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Beautifully written.
(And that’s coming from someone who dreads and despises winter!)
February 21st, 2008 at 12:31 am
I love how you share your love of music with “us” by sharing the song that expresses how you’re feeling. By the way, you’re writing is getting to be so beautiful, that I feel like I should be paying you to read the words. You astound me!
February 21st, 2008 at 5:13 am
That description of winter was so lovely…and I can’t help but love winter, for all that it b rings.
Beautiful.
February 21st, 2008 at 6:19 am
[...] From Flutter [...]
February 21st, 2008 at 6:34 am
The cusp of any season always brings to mind the ancients, for if I, in my modern life can still be so attuned to the subtle angles of the sun, how awed must they have been. Enough so to make it their religion.
Shedding that winter shell of clothing is always surprisingly hard. Especially because with an extra layer, I can still forget about wearing a bra for half of the year. (not so much the other half of the year, no thanks to age and gravity.)
“Powerless to stop it?” Don’t try. Welcome it, as we do the spring.
February 21st, 2008 at 6:34 am
Winter sucks in a way that makes William Hung look at it and say, “Damn, you suck.”
February 21st, 2008 at 10:52 am
Got a good quote today:
“Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”
~Mother Teresa
That’s got Flutter written all over it (and the rest of us too!).
Hugs.
Foop
February 21st, 2008 at 4:35 pm
Oh Flutter. You move me.
February 21st, 2008 at 6:22 pm
I’m a winter person. Ironic, because winter encompasses six whole days a year….complete with mosquitos.
February 21st, 2008 at 8:21 pm
I think spring will suit you well.