What You Are

[Instrumental Intro]

[Verse 1]

I'm driving around town

Kinda bored with the windows rolled down

See a girl on the bus stop bench

Dressed to draw attention

Hopin' everyone will stare

If she don't stand out, she thinks she'll disappear

Wish I could hold her, tell her, show her

What she wants is already there

[Chorus]

A star is a star

It doesn't have to try to shine

Water will fall

A bird just knows how to fly

You don't have to tell a flower how to bloom

Or light how to fill up a room

You already are what you are

And what you are is beautiful

[Verse 2]

Heard a story the other day

Took place at the local VA

A father talking to his dying son

This was his conversation

"It's not supposed to be like this

You can't go first, I can't handle it"

The boy said, "Dad, now don't you cry

Remember when I was a child, what you used to tell me when I'd ask why?"

[Chorus]

(You'd say) Gravity is gravity

It doesn't try to pull you down

Stone is stone

It can't help, but hold its ground

The wind just blows, though you can't see

It's everywhere like I'll always be

You already are what you are

And what you are is strong enough

[Bridge]

Look in the mirror

Now that's another story to tell

I give love to others

But I give myself hell

I'd have to tell myself

"In every seed, there's a perfect plant"

Everything I hoped to be

I already am

[Pre-Chorus]

A flower is a flower

It doesn't have to try to bloom

And light is light

Just knows how to fill a room

[Chorus]

And dark is dark

So the stars have a place to shine

The tide goes out

So it can come back another time

Goodbye makes hello so sweet

And love is love, so it can teach us

We already are what we are

And what we are is beautiful

[Outro]

And strong enough

And good enough

And bright enough