The Story

Before last night, I had not heard "The Story" by Brandi Carlile. Nor did I know Sara Ramirez, who plays surgeon Callie Torres on ABC's Grey's Anatomy, was a Tony award winner. As I watched the Grey's episode "Song Beneath the Song", I was deeply moved by Ramirez' powerful performance of "The Story" in the final scene. My husband walked into the room to find me in tears, scribbling the song's lyrics on a scrap of paper.

"All of these lines across my face tell you the story of who I am. So many stories of where I've been and how I got to where I am, but these stories don't mean anything when you've got no one to tell them to. It's true. I was made for you."

How does one capture the emotional and physical journey of years of chronic illness; illness that ages bodies well beyond their time? Years of misdiagnoses? Years searching for answers? Lost careers? The fights to save lives? Years of treatment? Hope on the horizon? In my mind, "The Story" captures all beautifully. Both versions are available on iTunes.

The Story

lyrics by Brandi Carlile

All of these lines across my face
tell you the story of who I am.
So many stories of where I’ve been
and how I got to where I am.

But these stories don’t mean anything
when you’ve got no one to tell them to.
It’s true…I was made for you.

I climbed across the mountain tops.
Swam all across the ocean blue.
I crossed all the lines and I broke all the rules,
but baby I broke them all for you.

Because even when I was flat broke
you made me feel like a million bucks.
You do.
I was made for you.

You see the smile that’s on my mouth.
It’s hiding the words that don’t come out
and all of my friends who think that I’m blessed
They don’t know my head is a mess.

No, they don’t know who I really am
and they don’t know what
I’ve been through like you do
and I was made for you…

All of these lines across my face
tell you the story of who I am.
So many stories of where I’ve been
and how I got to where I am.

But these stories don’t mean anything
when you’ve got no one to tell them to.
It’s true…I was made for you.