Survivors’ Anthem Series #47: “Broken Things” by Ryan Kelly
- Shannon Brown
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Learning That Love Doesn't Require Perfection
Some survivor anthems help us survive.
Some help us heal.
And some finally give words to feelings we've carried for years but never knew how to explain.
This is Survivors’ Anthem # 47:
“Broken Things” by Ryan Kelly
I first came to know Ryan Kelly through Celtic Thunder.
His voice has always had a way of carrying emotion with honesty and warmth, and I've followed his solo career ever since.
But no song of his has ever spoken to me quite like "Broken Things."
The first time I heard the lyric,
"You can have my heart if you don't mind broken things,"
I had to stop and listen.
Because it felt like someone had taken the words straight from my own heart.
Feeling Broken
Trauma has a way of changing how we see ourselves.
Even after we begin healing…
Even after we find safety…
Even after we rebuild our lives…
There can still be a quiet voice inside that whispers:
"You're damaged."
"You're too much."
"No one will want all of this."
For a long time, I believed that.
Whenever I entered a new relationship, I felt like I needed to give a warning.
As if I should tell people,
"Just so you know… I've been through a lot."
"I'm a little broken."
I worried that once someone saw every scar, every trauma response, every difficult memory…They might decide I was too much to love.
We Are Not Broken Beyond Repair
Healing has taught me something different.
Our experiences may leave scars. They may change us. They may shape the way we see the world. But scars are not proof that we're broken beyond repair.
They're proof that we survived. Every scar tells a story of endurance. Every difficult chapter reminds us that we kept going.
The things that happened to us do not reduce our worth.
They simply become part of our story.
Loving Someone Who Has Survived
Healthy relationships don't ask us to hide our past. They don't require us to pretend everything is okay. They make room for honesty. For vulnerability. For healing.
The right people won't love us despite our scars. They'll love us knowing our scars helped shape the resilient people we've become. That realization changed everything for me.
Because I finally stopped believing I had to apologize for surviving.
A Song That Speaks for Survivors
One of the reasons I love this song so much is because it acknowledges something survivors often struggle to say out loud.
We don't always feel whole. Sometimes we carry insecurities into relationships. Sometimes we wonder if we'll ever be enough. Sometimes we fear people will leave once they truly know us.
"Broken Things" gently reminds us that love isn't reserved for perfect people.
It's for human beings.
People with scars.
People with stories.
People still healing.
A Thank You
To Ryan Kelly,
Thank you for creating a song that has comforted so many hearts.
Thank you for reminding listeners that vulnerability isn't weakness.
And thank you for writing lyrics that helped me realize I didn't have to apologize for my past.
Your music has been part of my healing journey for many years, beginning with Celtic Thunder and continuing through your solo work.
I'm grateful for every note.
What This Anthem Means to Me
For me, this anthem represents acceptance.
Accepting my past.
Accepting my scars.
Accepting that healing doesn't erase what happened.
It teaches us to see ourselves differently.
Today, I no longer see someone who is broken.
I see someone who survived.
Someone who continues to heal.
Someone who continues to love.
And someone who finally believes that she never needed to earn love by pretending to be perfect.
What's Next in the Survivors' Anthem Series
Every song in this series represents another step in healing.
Some songs gave me strength.
Some gave me courage.
Some gave me hope.
This one gave me something just as important.
It reminded me that our scars don't make us unlovable.
They make us human.
And the people who truly love us won't ask us to hide the parts of ourselves that fought the hardest to survive.
🛡️ Survivor Support & Safety Awareness
Part of healing is also finding ways to feel safe again.
That's why I'm proud to be in collaboration with Hootie Security Alarms. 💜
As a survivor of childhood abuse and domestic violence, personal safety is incredibly important to me.
💜 For every 4 Hooties I sell, 1 is donated to a domestic violence shelter.
Visit gethootie.com and use code JANE for 10% off your order.
Because everyone deserves to feel safe.
💜 Continue the Journey
The Survivors' Anthem Series is more than a collection of songs—it's a journey through survival, healing, and hope.
📖 Read Because of Jane and discover the story that inspired this series.
🦋 Learn about The Jane Project and join a community where survivors remind one another that healing is possible.
Because sometimes the most healing words we can hear are:
"You can have my heart… if you don't mind broken things."
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