‘She used to be mine’ by Sara Bareilles…sung by Nicole David Yalong who shared how she had one defining moment in her life – the birth of her twins.
“I was once single, empowered, independent, strong, to now a mother of twins, always touched and always needed, full-time homemaker- the first few years tested me in my transition from single to mom, this song allowed me to properly say goodbye to my former life and fully embrace motherhood.”
After she sang, I had goosebumps and was teary-eyed.
Those lyrics and the song embody what I used to be, a mom to two children while working full time, an activist, an empty nester, and now a part-time grandmother.
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It’s not simple to say
Most days, I don’t recognize me
These shoes and this apron
That place and its patrons
I have taken more than I gave ’em
It’s not easy to know
I’m not anything like I used to be
Although it’s true
I was never paying attention, sweet center
I still remember that girl
She’s imperfect but she tries
She is good but she lies
She is hard on herself
She is broken and won’t ask for help
She is messy but she’s kind
She is lonely most of the time
She has all of this mixed up
And baked in a beautiful pie
She is gone but she used to be mine
It’s not what I asked for
Sometimes life just slips in through a back door
And carves out a person
And makes you believe it’s all true
And now I’ve got you
And you’re not what I asked for
If I’m honest I know I would give it all back
For a chance to start over
And rewrite an ending or two
For the girl that I knew
Who is being reckless just enough?
Who can hurt but
Who learns how to toughen up when she’s bruised?
And gets used by a man who can’t love
And then she’ll get stuck and be scared
Of the life that’s inside her
Growing stronger each day
‘Til it finally reminds her
To fight just a little
To bring back the fire in her eyes
That’s been gone but it used to be mine
It used to be mine
She is messy but she’s kind
She is lonely most of the time
She is all of this mixed up and baked in a beautiful pie
She is gone but she used to be mine