Five Minute Friday Inspired..."Broken"

This week's prompt "Broken" should be easy to write to, about, for...however it is you frame it for yourself. However, this week "Broken" has proven to be hard for me. It left me wondering, am I broken because I can't get going on this?

The answer, no. I'm not broken. Just uninspired. Or so I thought...

When I first read the word broken, the song Hand in my Pocket by Alanis Morissette began running through my mind.

I'm broke but I'm happy
I'm poor but I'm kind. 
I'm short but I'm healthy, yeah 
I'm high but I'm grounded
I'm sane but I'm overwhelmed 
I'm lost but I'm hopeful baby
What it all comes down to
Is that everything's gonna be fine, fine, fine
'cause I've got one hand in my pocket and 
the other one is giving a high five

This ran through my head over and over and over again. For. Days.

Since this was all I could think of, I decided to pay closer attention to this ear worm.

What I realized is, Alanis' song speaks to me today for different reasons than it did when I was a 19-year old, obsessed with my good friend 'Lani...she may not know about our friendship but we were totally tight, when it came out. Back then, I just loved her music. Her voice. Her rise to the top.

Today, I still love her music but my reasons have changed. She is brave. She is creative. She doesn't seem to be afraid to go after her dreams. Nor does she appear to be scared to publicly process the events of her life. Talk. About. Strength.

Reflecting on the lyrics from Hand in My Pocket, I realize with where I am at in my life right now, this song, for me, is about reframing. (Changing how I look at situations.) We all have things in life that leave us damaged. Broken. Yet, we don't have to stay that way. Reframing our experiences allows us to move beyond those moments we'd rather not repeat or even think about sometimes. Learning to look at the situation differently helps us to become whole again.

Yes. I am broke(n). But I am happy.

What it all comes down to is that I haven't got it all figured out just yet. 

But really, who does?

I'd like to think I'm further on my journey to figuring it out, though.

Lisa-Jo Baker Five Minute Friday