Have you ever heard Creed’s song, With Arms Wide Open?
Here are the lyrics:
"With Arms Wide Open"
Well I just heard the news today
It seems my life is going to change
I closed my eyes, begin to pray
Then tears of joy stream down my face
With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open
Well I don't know if I'm ready
To be the man I have to be
I'll take a breath, I'll take her by my side
We stand in awe, we've created life
With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
Now everything has changed
I'll show you love
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open
I'll show you everything ...oh yeah
With arms wide open..wide open
If I had just one wish
Only one demand
I hope he's not like me
I hope he understands
That he can take this life
And hold it by the hand
And he can greet the world
With arms wide open...
With arms wide open
Under the sunlight
Welcome to this place
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
Now everything has changed
I'll show you love
I'll show you everything
With arms wide open
With arms wide open
I'll show you everything..oh yeah
With arms wide open....wide open
A few months ago my family drove to a beach near Puerto Vallarta to see some old friends of ours who were visiting. It was a long, tiresome drive with a section of road construction that seriously would have added two hours to the 4+ hour trip. We ended up having to change plans a bit and pull off to a different beach town. Of course we were bummed out a bit to not get to see as much of our friends as planned. But, it ended up being a sweet time of family bonding that we desperately needed. At one point during the drive, sweet Solo-boy was sound asleep in his carseat, hubby and I were chatting about how absurdly crazy Mexican drivers are (I mean seriously, why would you pass on a completely blind curve?!) when this song came on. Mr. P said, “oh, stop, let’s listen to this song. I remember going on a run when you were 9 months pregnant and playing this song on repeat as I imagined being a dad.” So, we were silent. And we played this song probably ten times over and over again. By the 7th time we were both belting out the words at the top of our lungs.
Take this life
Hold it by the hand.
I’ll show you love.
Now everything has changed.
With arms wide open.
Now that I actually looked up the lyrics online I realize that my favorite line of the song isn’t actually the words I thought they were.
“I’ll show you everything, oh yeah”. Silly me, I thought the words were “I’ll show you everything I am.” I told hubby that was my favorite line because as a mom I want to show Solo-boy everything I am. I don’t want to hide behind duty or fear or pride or any other ugly mask I’m so used to popping on this scarred face of mine.
So that, my friends, is how the name of my blog was born. Show your children everything you are and through your transparency they just might learn there is nothing to be afraid of, there is nothing to hide, we can walk through this life with arms wide open.
