You Without Me (Commentary)

[Spoken Commentary by Carlile]

“You Without Me…

My smile isn't naturally crooked, but it is now. The lines around my mouth weigh heavy on one side, but I wasn't born with it… I just used to love Elton John's smile when I was a little girl.

I learned a crooked smile from someone I idolized.

My child wasn't born with one either, but her smile is crooked, too. It might not always be. She’s not me, and I'm not her, no matter how much it pains us to hold on.

When she would fall, she'd jump up in an instant with a thumbs-up or a wink, or both, just to ease my mind and stop me from running to get my arms around her. It's kind of a light and loving way to say, ‘I'm okay, leave me alone, Mom.’

That moment a child becomes themselves is the proudest and most devastating moment for a parent.”