The Small Truth - Eli Rowan | Soul Blues Song About Setting Boundaries

[Verse 1] I used to wait until the room got loud Till the hurt had filled my chest Till every little thing I never said Came pouring out at once I’d call it honesty But honesty had waited Till it sharpened every word Funny how the truth gets cruel When it’s ignored too long [Pre-Chorus] Maybe courage ain’t the shouting Maybe courage starts before When your voice is still steady And your hand is on the door [Chorus] Say the small truth While your voice is still low Say, “I’m hurt” Say, “I can’t” Say, “I need” Say, “No” Say it before the silence Turns the whisper into smoke Every truth you speak in time Is one you won’t have to explode Say the small truth [Verse 2] I thought keeping peace was noble Thought love meant letting things slide Thought if I could carry one more burden Maybe everybody’d be all right But peace that costs your own voice Ain’t peace, it’s just delay And every little yes you don’t mean Has a price you’ll pay someday I know that now Took me longer than it should [Pre-Chorus] There are things that sound unkind Only because they’re new Sometimes the gentlest thing you can do Is finally tell the truth [Chorus] Say the small truth While your voice is still low Say, “I’m hurt” Say, “I can’t” Say, “I need” Say, “No” Say it before the silence Turns the whisper into smoke Every truth you speak in time Is one you won’t have to explode Say the small truth [Verse 3] Maybe I don’t need to tell you Everything that crosses through my mind Maybe honesty ain’t cruelty Maybe timing matters too Maybe I don’t need a courtroom Maybe I don’t need to prove Maybe I just need the courage To say what’s true Before resentment writes the speech I never meant to give [Bridge — stripped down] Say, “That hurt me.” Say, “I’m tired.” Say, “I can’t keep doing this.” Say, “I love you.” Say, “I need some space.” Say, “I changed my mind.” Say, “This isn’t working.” Say, “I’m scared.” Say, “No.” [Pause] The truth don’t always need thunder Sometimes it just needs air [Final Chorus — gospel lift] Say the small truth While your heart is still soft Say what matters Before anger does the talking for us Say it before the distance Before the slammed door Before you need a louder voice Than you ever needed before Say the small truth Give the silence somewhere to go Every truth you speak in time Is one you won’t have to scream And maybe love gets stronger When it finally gets to know The small truth [Outro — quiet] The opposite of being fake ain’t being brutal. It’s being honest before you have to be.