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lyrics

"I always refused to resign to my fate. I’ve already suffered so much. If I give up now, wouldn’t I have suffered for nothing?”

As a high school senior, Fiona McKee was inspired to write about Taiwanese activist Liu Hsia, known by her pen name Xing Lin Tzu (杏林子).

In 1954, at age 12, Liu was diagnosed with atrophic arthritis. The illness left her wheelchair bound, in constant pain and with only an elementary school education. Despite this, Liu maintained a positive outlook on life, becoming a prolific, popular writer and activist for the disabled. She chose writing because it was something she could do in bed. Xing Lin Xiao Ji is a light-hearted and contemplative collection of essays about her illness and her observations from the hospital, her second home. She was listed among the nation’s 10 Outstanding Young Women in 1980, and used her prize money to start the influential non-profit Eden Social Welfare Foundation.

Liu was especially concerned that many universities still barred disabled students from enrolling in certain departments. Her foundation and protests led the Ministry of Education to lift restrictions. She later ran for legislator, despite a rule disqualifying most disabled citizens, to highlight the lack of special education. Liu died in 2003.

Learn more at https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2020/02/02/2003730208

LYRICS:
You’re trapped in place
Yet your mind is wandering free
It soars among the stars

Reach out, reach out to the world
Though it hurts to even write
Spread your words far and wide

The sunshine on your face, even as the waves batter away at you
Though the pain will never go away, you smile every single day
Twisted bones make your strength all the more beautiful
Don’t give in, fight on, you smile every single day

You’re trapped in place
Yet your mind is wandering free
It soars among the stars

Reach out, reach out to the world
Make a place for those like you
Build a Garden of Eden

Your pain, transmuted into strength
Lights up as a beacon
Igniting the way

The sunshine on your face, even as the waves batter away at you
Though the pain will never go away, you smile every single day
Twisted bones make your strength all the more beautiful
Don’t give in, fight on, you smile every single day

Reach out, reach out to the world
Though it hurts to even write
Spread your words far and wide

Like flowers, they bloom in people’s hearts
Make them change their minds
Even after you’re gone

The sunshine on your face, even as the waves batter away at you
Though the pain will never go away, you smile every single day
Twisted bones make your strength all the more beautiful
Don’t give in, fight on, you smile every single day
Don’t give in, fight on, you smile every single day

credits

from Chords of Courage Volume One, released December 2, 2022
Lyrics and arrangement by Fiona McKee
Further arranged and Performed by ilyAIMY:
Heather Aubrey Lloyd (vocals)
Rob Hinkal (beat box, guitar)
Kristen Jones (cello)
Additional engineering by Rob Hinkal

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ilyAIMY Baltimore, Maryland

ilyAIMY is a percussive acoustic rock animal hailing from Baltimore, MD. Mixing genres from rock to folk to soul to bluegrass; flavours as varied as jazz and hip hop curl through what is undoubtedly one of the most exciting sounds in today’s folk(ish) music scene. Instrumentation includes acoustic guitars, cello, djembe, cajon, Irish bones, keyboard, bass, drums & harmonies. ... more

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