Ann Ipock
            Humorist, author, speaker

There's Hope
by Ann Ipock

There's Hope by India.Aire

(Verse 1)
Back when I had a little
I thought that I needed a lot
A little was over rated,
But a lot was a little too complicated
You see – Zero didn't satisfy me
A million didn't make me happy
That's when I learned a lesson
That it's all about your perception
Hey – are you a papa or a superstar
So you act, so you feel, so you are
It ain't about the size of your car
It's about the size of the faith in your heart.

(Chorus)
There's hope
It doesn't cost a thing to smile
You don't have to pay to laugh
You better thank God for that
There's hope (repeat)

(Verse 2)
Off in the back country of Brazil
I met a young brotha that made me feel
That I could accomplish anything.
You see just like me he wanted to sing
He had no windows and no doors
He lived a simple life and was extremely poor
On top of all that he had no eye sight,
But that didn't keep him from seein' the light
He said, “What's it like in the USA?”
And all I did was complain,
He said “Living here is Paradise”
He taught me paradise is in your mind

(Chorus-repeat)

There's hope.

Every now and then a song comes along with such powerful lyrics that you feel shaken up after listening to it. So powerful, in fact, that you notice a substantial improvement in your mood, and you just feel good all over. In fact, you love the words so much that you want to share them with the whole world. (Or, with all the Sasee readers, which could well be one and the same.) I have to tell you that every time I hear one certain song, I smile. No! I smile, sing, laugh and feel inspired.

That song is “There's Hope” and it's sung by India Arie. And though I'm writing more about the lyrics and the soul-searching questions they raise, I want to share a few facts about India Arie, the singer. You see, she's got guts, determination, attitude and well, hey, I like her.

For starters, she's Southern. She's a graduate of SCAD (Savannah College of Art and Design) in Savannah. She studied jewelry making and music while there. But when she picked up her first guitar, as they say, “The rest is history.” She is now devoting her life to song writing, singing and performing. Though not Southern born (Detroit is her birthplace) she moved south to Atlanta “as soon as she could.” She's ethical, and she's true to herself. She's never been one to compromise her values. She is quoted as saying “I was never searching for a deal. I knew that I wanted as many people as possible to hear my music, but I made a decision early not to compromise myself or my music.” She's down to earth. Money and fame have not changed her – so much so that she lives with her mother and stepfather even now, outside of Atlanta. She gives credit where credit is due: Her mentors include Stevie Wonder, Bonnie Raitt and James Taylor. I mean, what's not to love about this woman who spreads peace, love and hope? Plus, she's living a simple life, though she is now clearly a superstar: She drives a Toyota, for heaven's sake. (Just like me!) Though we have the same car in common, we absolutely do not have the talent of singing in common. Okay, that said:

The first time I heard India Arie's “Video,” which talks about not being “your average girl,” I knew she was different: Spunky, out there, charismatic, soulful and alive. But I especially love the lyrics of her songs, which include subjects like forgiveness, love, optimism and not being a slave to your looks. And she's wowed us once again with her most recent CD, “India Arie, Testimony: vol. 1, Life and Relationships,” where upon “There's Hope” is track #6.

So, now that I've given you the background on this performer whose style is called “Coffee House Soul,” I want to share the lyrics because I think their impact is positive, and who doesn't want to hear that kind of message? Keep in mind that as a writer, I collect quotes and use them often; and attitude is often one of my favorite subjects. So, I'm going out on a limb on this one and saying these song lyrics (essentially, one long quote) have inspired me as much as any quote I've read in a long time. I hope that you'll agree.

I leave you with one last quote. It just so happens this is our daughter, Katie's favorite one. She once turned it in for a school project and it was listed along with her photo.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a harder battle.” – Plato.

There really is hope.

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