"I am Woman, Hear me Roar!"

The title to this post has a very long history to it and involves a dear friend that I love. She can roar baby, oh how I know she can roar! But then there are times she won't say a word. It is then that she hides in her house, probably in her bed, away from the world and even her family. Her husband that adores her tries to get in but she won't let him. Her children love her but won't bother her. They care for her enough to let her be. Only she can make the decision to come out and rejoin the world. Only she can save herself. Only she can make the difference in her life. We can love her and support her and point her in the right direction. Christ can take the burden, but she has to let Him. It is all easier said than done and we all probably know that. As women, we would love to take it all from her shoulders and would probably do it happily. We find it easier to take the troubles from our friends than we are able to release the pain from ourselves. If we could just step outside ourselves, punch ourselves in the face, and then get on with our own healing, then we could get on with our lives. Amen to that.

Stop speculating on who this might be, she doesn't even blog (although I may send her this link). And no, it's not me. Although Bill will tell you that I roar quite a bit, and probably bite too. In actuality, we have all probably been here... hence, the post.

I sent an email to this dear friend (because that is what I do, I email) and inadvertently told her to "roar". I told her we needed to beat Satan at his own game and stop letting him into our heads. I said we can't let him win. I told her to roar. She responded in jest by referring me to the Helen Reddy song, "I am Woman" from the 70's. There are many, many version of this song on YouTube. I'm going to include the links to several of them here:

This is the best one (Vanessa Amorosi sings it)

A Hermione Granger version (Helen Reddy singing with clips of Hermione from the Harry Potter movies)

A Political Poke at John Edwards (it's a guy singing with Edwards in several drag outfits, so rude!)

Three Degrees (the beginning is nice and jazzy with some horns going to town, then it gets too long when she goes into another song)

You can find our more about Helen Reddy here on wikipedia if you would like. It's got a good picture of her from 1974. I really didn't know anything about her until today. It turns out she is the lady from Pete's Dragon that sings "Candle in the Wind." She annoyed me in the show, but maybe it was the show and not her. I had to watch it something like 20 times in one week when Kyra was little and we borrowed it from the library.

Reddy joined the feminist movement and was looking for songs that reflected the images she felt. She was quoted by saying, "I realized that the song I was looking for didn't exist, and I was going to have to write it myself." Good for her, 'cause she is woman!!! I'm sure that Jaylee and her mom have some sort of good stories about this era and/or this song. I'm looking forward to it Jaylee, don't let me down.

My biggest problem right now is that I know this song was in a movie and I can't figure out which one. I was sure it was My Best Friend's Wedding because I can actually visualize Rupert Everett singing it and being quite obnoxious about it. I am wrong though because I checked the soundtrack and it is not there. So, dear Merrill girls, I am counting on you to clue me in. You probably have had the movie in your head since you read the title to the post.

But now, back to my original thought... ladies, ROAR!!! Repeat after me...

"I am STRONG!!! I am INVINCIBLE!!! I am WOMAN!!!"

Here are the song lyrics:

I am woman, hear me roar

In numbers too big to ignore

And I know too much to go back an' pretend

'cause I've heard it all before

And I've been down there on the floor

No one's ever gonna keep me down again

CHORUS

Oh yes I am wise

But it's wisdom born of pain

Yes, I've paid the price

But look how much I gained

If I have to,

I can do anything

I am strong (strong)

I am invincible (invincible)

I am woman

You can bend but never break me

'cause it only serves to make me

More determined to achieve my final goal

And I come back even stronger

Not a novice any longer

'cause you've deepened the conviction in my soul

CHORUS

I am woman watch me grow

See me standing toe to toe

As I spread my lovin' arms across the land

But I'm still an embryo

With a long long way to go

Until I make my brother understand

Oh yes I am wise

But it's wisdom born of pain

Yes, I've paid the price

But look how much I gained

If I have to I can face anything

I am strong (strong)

I am invincible (invincible)

I am woman

Oh, I am woman

I am invincible

I am strong