i've been stumped by ben's question for a favorite song ... so i'll
respond to that next time.

in response, though, to emily's post, i must agree that the line "her
wings won't fit on paper, there's no room for them to fly" jump out
at me, too, every time i hear the song. ultimately, i think, the
reason is similar, but coming from a different point of view.

often rather than defining ourselves - who we are and who we strive
to be - i think the people around us try to force upon us a
definition of who they want us to be. for me, these pressures come
from a variety of sources: i work at a church (with youth) and often
feel expected to follow several (sometimes conflicting) definitions
of who i should be in this role; in my personal life i am a young,
married woman and goodness knows society can leave us feeling dizzy
with all the definitions available for that role.

david's lines, to me, are a wonderful expression of relief from
this "who am i, anyway? and is it really necessary for me to know?"
angst with which i think too many of us struggle. we're so sold on
society's propaganda that we must fit neatly into one category or
another. with this line, david reminds us that we are each our own
selves, and no one, as emily shared, can capture us on paper, or can
put a box around us, or a lable on our personhood.

leaves me feeling incredibly free.