It's a song of hope.  It's a song of encouragement.  It's a song of optimism.  "Ooh, Child. Things are going to get easier. Ooh Child, things are going to get better.  Someday, we'll walk in the rays of a beautiful sun.  Someday when the world is much brighter."  I found myself wishing someone had shared those words with me when I was a child, and a teen.

Hindsight is 20/20.  Looking back, I can see that the crucial steps to my sanity were 1) escaping from my family, 2) escaping from the bigoted Ozarks town in which we were living, and 3) realizing that I had more in common with more people in the "real" world than in the myopic, cloistered southern Missouri world of my teen years.  I recall, going through my teens, wondering if these three steps might really be my saving grace, and then fretting over what would happen if things only got worse.  These are the kinds of thoughts that lead to thoughts of suicide, and why suicide among teens is a monumental problem.

Also using hindsight, I am aware that even though my issues were unique to me, that EVERYONE has issues that lead them to doubt themselves.  This leads me to three explanations: 1) self-doubt is a natural part of the growing up process, or 2) there is something about the process that is broken, and needs to be fixed, or 3) BOTH of these. I opt for the last one.

Growing up is about learning about ourselves, and about the world around us.  Sometimes we need to fall, and self-doubt is just one kind of "falling."  But, the process is broken because so often when we fall, we don't have the tools to get up and heal.  In fact, due to a gross lack of "healing" in the world, I would argue that those around us who should be there to help us, actually end up pushing us down and trying to keep us down.

It's virtually impossible to change others.  But we can change ourselves, how we react to situations, and perhaps by example and education we can help others to change, grow and heal.  Regardless, I know that we will live happier and healthier lives.

Ooh, Child!  Today I'm walking in the rays of a beautiful sun, and the world is much brighter!