CONCRETE ANGEL

Another one of my favourite country music singer is Martina McBride. Her songs never fail to touch people's heart with words that reminds us to be grateful of who we are and what we have.

I came across the song "Concrete Angel" while surfing on Youtube. The title "Concrete Angel" sounded ridiculous but after listening to it, I understood that it depicts a strong angelic girl who now lies beneath her concrete grave. The video is really sad and I struggled through it with watery eyes. 

She walks to school with the lunch she packed,

Nobody knows what she's holding back,

Wearing the same dress she wore yesterday,

She hides her bruises with the linen and lace.

The teacher wonders but she doesn't ask,

It's hard to see the pain behind the mask,

Bearing the burden of a secret storm,

Sometimes she wishes she was never born...

Through the wind and the rain,

She stands hard as a stone,

In a world that she can't rise above...

But her dreams gave her wings,

And she flies to a place where she's loved,

Concrete Angel

I guess it is sad that most of the times, when we suspect a case of child abuse we just don't have the courage to report or do anything about it. I guess there are people who does something but then most people might just not want to get involved. Maybe we are worried that we'll be called a busy-body and all. These kids then silently suffer in pain. I think to a certain extent, these children also do not want to come out and report the abuse because they love their parents or maybe because they do not know who to go to. It's so so sad that these young ones have to bear the burden of their parents' fault and immaturity. 

Isn't it sad that a child wishes that he/she is never born? Have you ever felt that way, like you wished you were never born? For me, the saddest part is that a little child has to feel that way.

Somebody cries in the middle of the night

The neighbors hear but they turn out the light

A fragile soul caught in the hands of fate

When morning comes it will be too late

At this point, the lyrics indicates that the little girl dies: 'caught in the hands of fate' and 'when morning comes it will be too late'. It is a reminder that if we take no action to help these children, if we choose to 'close our eyes' to the beatings and the abuses, one day it will be too late.

A statue stands in a shaded place

An angel girl with an upturned face

A name is written on a polished rock

A broken heart that the world forgot

Sometimes we all take some people for granted until we've lost them. This verse describes the little girl's funeral and now that she's dead, people realized the importance of taking action. If they had reported the abuse, maybe the little girl could be saved. She had been neglected by everyone - her family, her friends, her neighbours, her teacher - all, whom if had done something might have been able to save her and mend her broken heart.

The video tells the whole story according to the lyrics...

Very beautiful and touching indeed. Towards the end, we are all reminded about taking action against 'child-abuse'. It is a message that should be etched into everyone's hearts and minds. I love children a lot and I believe that there's nothing a child can do that would entitle them to abuse of any sort.

So, let's all work together in support of prevention of child abuse!

p/s: Apparently this song is based on a true story. Martina's niece died due to child abuse. Martina McBride's sister had abused her daughter and caused her death. This is a real sad story.