Lyrics: Everyday Bravery

THE OPENING

Source:
Words and music by Sarah Pirtle
© 2006 Discovery Center Music, BMI

Click on Circle Dance to learn the dance steps created for this song.

Lyrics:

1. The opening calls-come through this door.
    The opening calls--there is so much more.
    This mountain holds us and we can go far.
    For we are the people of tree and of star.
    of tree and of star, of tree and of star,
    For we are the people of tree and of star.

2. I come to this mountain afraid of the height.
    My friends take my hands and give me new sight.
    Tree roots they tell us that we can go far.
    For we are the people of tree and of star.
    of tree and of star, of tree and of star,
    For we are the people of tree and of star.

3. I honor this place where many prayed before.
    Mountain give me balance, mountain make me whole.
    The birds sing my story and help me to see.
    I lift off my burden and I fly free.
    And I fly free, and I fly free.
    I lift off my burden and I fly free.

Background of the Song:

Evie Spodnik and Evi Beck and I climbed Tepozteco Pyramid February 2006 while we were taking part in Mexico Dance Camp. When we stopped to ask permission from the guardians of the mountain, an orange butterfly arrived. We wrote this song to honor our interactions with this sacred place and help with the steep ascent. Later I changed it a bit and took it through some metamorphosis.. Earlier versions of the song described the frog shapes in a huge rock, the snake in a tree branch, the Goddess in a tree trunk.

We shared life stories as we climbed. I felt transformed not only by the climb, and the sacred site, but also by our conversation. The word “opening” describes not only the literal places where narrow rock passages opened up. As we talked, I felt a new opening in my life being offered.

The three of us created a circle dance which is listed as the second option in the “Dance Steps” description.

For discussion:

Describe a time that you felt stuck and something shifted. What made the difference? How have friends offered new possibilities?  Is there a mountain you are climbing right now?

Back to top