[Verse 1] I learned early on to mould myself into shape, I wore names, roles and foreign personas. I did what was expected of me and stayed quiet when my innermost self spoke. But deep inside me, beneath the dust and time, lay the memory of my truth. I knew who I was and where I came from. and the contract I had made with life. [Pre-chorus] The ego spoke in a trembling voice, It spoke of fear, of duty, and of 'Please stay inside'. It called control security. and turned love into readiness. [Chorus] The first step is: I see you now. Not to change you, but to recognise you. You are not me; you are not my core. Just a voice that wants to protect me from pain. I see you now, and I will stay with you. [Verse 2] I walked through the valley of tears year after year, with a smile for my children only. They shouldn't have to bear my burden. So I learned to put my own needs on hold. My life was often hard to bear, but I carried those I loved on my shoulders. I put myself last, time and time again. and lost parts of myself in the process. [Pre-Chorus 2] I had dreams, but I let them fade away. so that others could feel safe and not abandoned. I had dreams, but no one believed in them. Eventually, I stopped believing in them myself. [Chorus] The first step is: I see you now. Not to fight you, not to replace you. You are the fear of not being seen, Not the truth; not what I am at my core. I see you now, and I will stay with you. [Bridge] I hid myself away to be loved. I kept quiet to belong. I functioned so as not to lose, In doing so, I almost forgot to feel myself. But none of it was wrong. It was just a way. Now I can stand still and look. [Final Chorus] The first step is awareness. No struggle. No judgement. There's no pressure to change. Just shedding light on what has long guided me, So that the truth can finally take over. I see you now, and I move on. [Outro] And now you arrive. Everything is different now. It's not because you saved me – – but because I finally see myself. [© SongSilke 2026 All Rights Reserved | Unauthorized use, reproduction, remixing, adaptation, or distribution of this work without explicit written permission is strictly prohibited and will be enforced under applicable copyright laws.]
