Diamond in the Rough

I just had the privilege of seeing Shawn Colvin perform at The Birchmere.  I thoroughly enjoyed watching a woman who has honed her craft so remarkably over the years, thriving in the music industry for much longer than most performers.

Fortunately, Ms. Colvin has recently released a memoir that is on my list to read.  According to the reviews I've read, she uses the same enjoyable and self-deprecating humor in her writing that she does in her live performances. The book illuminates her life in music, and recounts the joys of meeting her music heros and heroines. It also depicts her trials with clinical depression, alcoholism, broken relationships, and the shock of motherhood. (This last one- let's just say, I get it.)  However, she says that she's now "happy and healthy," a celebration in and of itself, and, in my mind, her most remarkable achievement of all.

Vocalist/Guitarist/Writer


While I could listen to her sing her Grammy Award-winning song, "Sunny Came Home," countless times- and she gave an exquisite performance of it the other night- I do find another one of her songs, "Diamond in the Rough," particularly enchanting.  The song seems exceptionally poignant when one considers Ms. Colvin's tenacity in spite of the adversity I mentioned above.  In fact, I would venture to say that the she has thrived in the music business for so long not only because of her amazing musical talent, but also because she writes from an incredibly honest, vulnerable place; a place many of us like to personally hide from but are just willing enough to relate to.

I feel especially drawn to the "Diamond" lyrics because they shine a light on how difficult it is to keep alive the essence of who we are.  Born as beautiful jewels, we each have so many gifts to offer.  When we're little we have pride in what we do, we feel at home in our fascinations.  We have a certain respect for our needs and wants, even though we are still learning about our boundaries and the boundaries of others.

So where does this confidence and ease start to unravel?  We all have had unkind people and painful experiences in our lives that have helped to squelch our enthusiasm for living genuinely; in some lives, tragically, the experiences are nothing short of unabashed cruelty.  However, much of it, I believe, is also an unfortunate part of growing up and more aware of the world around us. Over the years, we accrue layers of doubts and fears and personal neglect that serve to bury our uniqueness.

In "Diamond in the Rough," Ms. Colvin explores this phenomenon, all the while reminding us that finding those gems, deep down inside, is a feat we all must try to do. Reclaiming our essence, our self-respect and innate worth requires some relearning, some fighting back, and, most importantly, requires tremendous courage.

As an offering of inspiration, I thought I'd share with you the lyrics and video for "Diamond in the Rough. Enjoy!

As a little girl I came down to the water

With a little stone in my hand

It would shimmer and sing

And we knew everything

As a little girl I came down

But in a little while I got steeped in authority

Heaven only knows what went wrong

And there is nothing so cruel

Than to bury that jewel

It was mine all along

I'm gonna find it

You're shining I can see you

You're smiling that's enough

I'm holding on to you

Like a diamond in the rough

Every now and then I can see

That I'm getting somewhere

Where I have to go is so deep

I was angry back then

And you know I still am

I have lost too much sleep

But I'm gonna find it

 You're shining I can see you

You're smiling that's enough

I'm holding on to you

Like a diamond in the rough

Like a diamond in the rough

 Snakes in the grass got to step on the gas

Snakes in the grass got to step on the gas

 In my dreams I go down by the water

With a little girl in my arms
And we shimmer and sing
And we know everything, everything
In my dreams I go down, I go down

Copied from MetroLyrics.com 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDpHggDfxQs