Kristin Chenoweth & Idina Menzel: For Good

There's a sort of soundtrack to my life, really. Songs that have perfectly illustrated what I was feeling at any given point in my life. "Jumper," "Adam's Song," "Lean On Me," "I'll Stand By You," "Away in a Manger," and now this: "For Good."

The "Wicked" soundtrack was particularly popular in my dorm room; Callie burned the CD from someone in DSP, I burned it from her, we played it nonstop for like a month.

College brought on a lot of changes for me. It was the first time I'd ever been away from home and lived pretty much on my own; it was the first time I didn't have classes scheduled from 8:30 to 3, and the first time I'd spent any significant amount of time away from Ria in 4 years. It was also the first time I'd been able to spend any significant amount of time with Jay in two years.

I've heard it said that people come into our lives for a reason
Ria and Jay are the two most influential friends I have. "Lean On Me" reminds me of both of them, because I always told them that they could lean on me if they needed it. And they became like my sisters, closer to me, at times, than my own blood.
Ria sat with me for an hour and a half as I poured out my anguish to the high school counselor, missing her first two periods while she held my hand and held me together. I wouldn't have made it through the last two years of high school without her intervention. She's one of my dearest friends, and though she has her bad points, I still wouldn't choose to not be friends with her. I've known her since I was less than a year old. Even though she's at WKU across the state, I still email her. Piano music reminds me forcibly of Ria (as I was reminded the other night while Callie practiced her piano), and when I think of the Beatles, I think of her.
Jay made life bearable. Without her, I wouldn't have survived this long at all; I'd have self destructed back in freshman year. And she feels the same for me. Things were once so bad that we elicited a pact from one another: neither of us is allowed to die until the other is ready to let her go. That's why it scared me so bad when she called school from the UK Medical Center to tell me the doctors thought that she had cancer. I'd already nearly lost my favorite cousin to cancer; the thought of losing Jay was (and still is) more than I could bear. I put "Skin" on my Windows Media Player nonstop for two months while I prayed and begged and tried to accept that there were things I couldn't protect her from, things which might steal her away long before either of us were ready to go.

And just to clear the air I ask forgiveness for the things I've done you blame me for
The people who forgive me the most are Ria and Jay. The other halves of myself know that sometimes I hurt them, and I know that sometimes they hurt me, but we can work it out togethr like none of my other friends can. Even if we sort it out over instant messenger or email, I can't bear the thought of one mistake ending such important friendships. So I ask for (and receive, and give) forgiveness a lot, because we're a family to each other, and that's what families are supposed to do.

So much of me is made of what I learned from you
I learned to be strong and brave by Jay's example, while Ria taught me to forgive and have faith. Between the three of us, I believe there's nothing that's impossible. Without each of their influences, I wouldn't be who I am. There as much a part of me as my limbs, my intelligence, my sense of humor,... everything that's good about me has some of their influence. I believe in myself because they believe in me, and their faith is pretty unshakeable.

You'll be with me like a handprint on my heart
Distance has separated us, but we'll never really be apart. Especially in this technological age, where email means that you can be in contact with another person instantly. That's my main way of communicating with Ria, but we always expressed ourselves better in writing.

And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine by being my friend

(Elphaba) I'm limited
(Just look at me)
I'm limited
And just look at you
You can do all I couldn't do, Glinda
So now it's up to you
(For both of us)
Now it's up to you...

(Glinda) I've heard it said
That people come into our lives for a reason
Bringing something we must learn
And we are led
To those who help us most to grow
If we let them
And we help them in return
Well, I don't know if I believe that's true
But I know I'm who I am today
Because I knew you

Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
I have been changed for good

(Elphaba) It well may be
That we will never meet again
In this lifetime
So let me say before we part
So much of me
Is made of what I learned from you
You'll be with me
Like a handprint on my heart
And now whatever way our stories end
I know you have re-written mine
By being my friend...

Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a sky bird
In a distant wood
Who can say if I've been changed for the better?
But because I knew you
(Glinda) Because I knew you
(Both) I have been changed for good

(Elphaba) And just to clear the air
I ask forgiveness
For the thing I've done you blame me for
(Glinda) But then, I guess we know
There's blame to share
(Both) And none of it seems to matter anymore

[Simultaneously]
(Glinda) Like a comet pulled from orbit
As it passes a sun
Like a stream that meets a boulder
Halfway through the wood
(Elphaba) Like a ship blown from its mooring
By a wind off the sea
Like a seed dropped by a bird in the wood
(Both) Who can say if I've been
Changed for the better?
I do believe I have been
Changed for the better
(Glinda) And because I knew you...
(Elphaba) Because I knew you...
(Both) Because I knew you...
I have been changed for good.