Image with textbook ”I Have a Story” on a picture of hand-written “once upon a time”

I Have a Story

Words & Music by Todd Porter

(c) 2022 Todd Porter  All rights reserved.

click here to listen to a recording hosted on SoundCloud


I have a story

That everyone I befriend

Goes away in the end

Hurting and sorry.


I have a story

That knowing me has to lead

To lots of heartache and grief

For anyone in my reach.


And though I know that this story’s not real

Knowing won’t keep me from feeling


That I’m stuck in a tale in which

I am the villain

I’m grasping for hope of

Escaping this prison

The more that I try

The harder it is to see…


That I have a story

Where all the things I believe,

Impractical and naive,

Are leaving me empty.


I have a story

Where trying to meet my own needs

ruins most everything

And still leaves me wanting


And though I know that this story’s not real

Knowing won’t keep me from feeling

  

That I’m stuck in a tale in which

I am the villain

I’m grasping for hope of

Escaping this prison

The more that I try

The harder it is to see…


If making it better’s just making it worse?

If moving things forward gets stuck in reverse?

If asking for help is just making me helpless?

If longing to live is just selfish and reckless?


I’m stuck in a tale in which

I am the villain

I’m grasping for hope of

Escaping this prison

The more that I try

The harder it is to see…


I have a story

Where everyone is alive

And with joy we all thrive

Sharing and loving


I have a story

Where we give and receive

And we have all we need

To overflowing


Deep down I that know this story is real

It’s ours for the living if only we heal


We can live in a tale 

Where there is no villain

Where sharing our Hope

Leads to everyone living

We’ll find enough love for

All of our hearts to see


That the story we live 

is the story we tell

Is the story we live

Is the story we tell…