Wicked.....or not.

WICKED has been in town for three weeks, and we went to see it last week. The book, by Gregory Maguire, was one of my all time favorites; intelligent, psychological, sociological, political, ancient and contemporary. I wondered how they could make a musical out of such a profound (and very long) book.
I'm glad I saw it, but it wasn't one I'd go see repeatedly. However, I've been listening to the original Broadway soundtrack, and it is wonderful. The last song is emotionally charged, so I thought I'd share the lyrics here, for those of you unable to see the production. The song is titled
"For Good".

(Glinda)
I'VE HEARD IT SAID
THAT PEOPLE COME INTO OUR LIVES FOR A REASON
BRINGING SOMETHING WE MUST LEARN
AND WE ARE LED
TO THOSE WHO HELP US MOST TO GROW
IF WE LET THEM
AND WE HELP THEM IN RETURN
WELL, I DON'T KNOW IF I BELIEVE THAT'S TRUE
BUT I KNOW I'M WHO I AM TODAY
BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

LIKE A COMET PULLED FROM ORBIT
AS IT PASSES A SUN
LIKE A STREAM THAT MEETS A BOULDER
HALFWAY THROUGH THE WOOD
WHO CAN SAY IF I'VE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER?
BUT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU
I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD...

(Elphaba)
IT WELL MAY BE
THAT WE WILL NEVER MEET AGAIN
IN THIS LIFETIME
SO LET ME SAY BEFORE WE PART
SO MUCH OF ME
IS MADE OF WHAT I LEARNED FROM YOU
YOU'LL BE WITH ME
LIKE A HANDPRINT ON MY HEART
AND NOW WHATEVER WAY OUR STORIES END
I KNOW YOU HAVE REWRITTEN MINE
BY BEING MY FRIEND...
LIKE A SHIP BLOWN FROM ITS MOORING
BY A WIND OFF THE SEA
LIKE A SEED DROPPED BY A SKYBIRD
IN A DISTANT WOOD
WHO CAN SAY IF I'VE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER?
BUT BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

(Glinda) BECAUSE I KNEW YOU...

(Both) I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD...

(Elphaba)
AND JUST TO CLEAR THE AIR
I ASK FORGIVENESS
FOR THE THINGS I'VE DONE YOU BLAME ME FOR

(Glinda)
BUT THEN, I GUESS WE KNOW
THERE'S BLAME TO SHARE

(Both) AND NONE OF IT SEEMS TO MATTER ANYMORE.
WHO CAN SAY IF I'VE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER?
I DO BELIEVE I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR THE BETTER.

BECAUSE I KNEW YOU
I HAVE BEEN CHANGED FOR GOOD.

Maybe the lyrics are so touching because they are universal truth. Each person who comes into our lives imprints us and we learn something we need, whether we like it or not. Sometimes the things we learn are painful, or we think we don't want to know/feel that. But I do believe as life goes on and we look back, we see how important it was to learn that. And of course the people who touch us in profoundly good ways show us what we might become, or just remind us of who we already are. There is such grace in the feeling of gratitude about the people who have made us who we are. So, right now, I'm very thankful for all of you in my life who have changed me for good....and for the better.
Love to all.