A Village of One

Words and music by Christopher Kent

When I was a child, my parents stood by my side
Acting as teacher, protector and guide
I saw them as heroes, there was so much they knew
And I wanted to be just like them when I grew
The way they saw the world shaped the way I see
And the people they became shaped who I thought I could be
Their spirits came to life inside my soul’s imagination
And the person I am today is partly their creation

‘Cause my soul is a village full of people I’ve known
The ones who opened up my eyes—I’ve made them my own
Their stories help to guide me on these journeys I’ve begun
We are each many people—a village of one

Then I found a man who drew cartoons with humor and philosophy
And a woman whose songs showed how honest love can be
Another opened up her mind and let a flood of insight through
Another shares her life with me and every day brings something new
Their visions of the world changed the way I see
And the people they became changed who I thought I could be
Their spirits came to life inside my soul’s imagination
And the person I am today is partly their creation

Every vision of the world shared by heroes we find
Becomes part of our soul, becomes part of our mind
And the stories they tell, and the world that they see
Help to shape who we are, and who we could be

‘Cause our souls are a village full of people we’ve known
The ones who opened up our eyes—we make them our own
And their stories help to guide us on these journeys we’ve begun
We are each many people—a village of one