You haven’t seen the last of me.
DIANE WARREN
I remember that the movie Burlesque came out right around the time that everything in my world was spiraling out of control. I remember hearing this song and trying to feel galvanized by it, but there was just too much that was coming at me at that moment in time and it felt so overwhelming that I just tucked this song away as something that I appreciated but I was not ready for.
The other day, my mother asked me if I had ever heard the song and I replayed it and felt such a surge of joy in listening to the lyrics and remembering how I felt a decade ago when I first heard it.
So of course I co-opted the lyrics for my musing this morning. Over the course of time, so many of my friends have hit a chapter like this. You feel immortal when you were younger and as you grow older, you realize the disadvantage that you have in the employment marketplace by virtue of how many years you have walked the planet. It is almost counterintuitive, but it is the reality any way you want to look at it. So many people cross that 50 year line and start to question whether or not they are going to have any value in the marketplace going forward. It is incredibly disconcerting and demoralizing.
Both Cher and Christina Aguilera are absolutely outstanding in the film Burlesque. It is well worth the watch if you have never seen it. I invite you to read the full lyrics and/or watch the video that I have enclosed, because it is truly galvanizing in many ways.
I think there are two ways to view life. We either readily accept that which is given to us or we aggressively go out and take what is ours. They are very different philosophical perspectives.
If you are fortunate, life will deliver enough positive moments to fill out a lifetime. Some will be wonderful, some adequate, and some, painful. It is truly not a bad choice, and most people live their lives by these principles.
Others, myself included, are wholly incapable of playing by those rules whatsoever. The notion that we are supposed to readily accept whatever is available strikes me as far too passive for me to adhere to in any way, shape or form.
I would attribute part of this to growing up reading about the Knights of the Roundtable, Greek and Roman mythology and learning about the explorers who headed off into uncharted territory in order that they might leave their mark on history. With role models of that magnitude, it was an obvious path for me to try to walk in life.
I tend to befriend people who see life through similar filters so if you are receiving this, chances are you see things through a similar perspective.
So without in mind, I copy and paste the lyrics to this song. Sometimes reading exactly what we already know can be the best medicine of all. Just knowing that other people are having these feelings and are searching for similar morsels of strength can be galvanizing in ways that almost nothing else is capable of being. I hope you enjoy it.
Feeling broken
Barely holding on
But there’s just something so strong
Somewhere inside me
And I am down but I’ll get up again
Don’t count me out just yet
I’ve been brought down to my knees
And I’ve been pushed way past the point of breaking
But I can take it
I’ll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
You haven’t seen the last of me
You haven’t seen the last of me
They can say that
I won’t stay around
But I’m gonna stand my ground
You’re not gonna stop me
You don’t know me
You don’t know who I am
Don’t count me out so fast
I’ve been brought down to my knees
And I’ve been pushed way past the point of breaking
But I can take it
I’ll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
You haven’t seen the last of me
There will be no fade out
This is not the end
I’m down now
But I’ll be standing tall again
Times are hard but
I was built tough
I’m gonna show you all what I’m made of
I’ve been brought down to my knees
And I’ve been pushed way past the point of breaking
But I can take it
I’ll be back
Back on my feet
This is far from over
I am far from over
You haven’t seen the last of me
No no
I’m not going nowhere
I’m staying right here
Oh no
You won’t see me fade out
I’m not taking my bow
Can’t stop me
It’s not the end
You haven’t seen the last of me
Oh no
You haven’t seen the last of me
You haven’t seen the last of me
