I’ve been sitting up listening to all the new albums that decided to flood my iPod (yes, I still use an iPod) and I came across Lloyd’s Tru Ep again. The album opens up with an amazingly open and honest song by the same name, Tru. There were a couple lines that really resonated with me that exemplify the path to self. The following is why Tru connected more to me than any song in the last six months.
P.S. You can find the song here: Tru – Lloyd
I lost it all, my friends, my loved ones
But in life there’s always a chance to grow
From the struggle, from the pain, from the realness
The first lesson I learned in life is that there are no real losses. I have had temporary setbacks and great achievements. I have lost plenty of close friends and loved ones that I wish I could see at least one more time to talk to. I wish I could tell them how much they meant to me, that I made so many mistakes, and that I’m not the same man I used to be. But, then I realize all that pain built me into the man I am. I am wiser, smarter, and so much more polished than the man I was ten years ago.
Had to find a new approach to an old dream
Lloyd was one of the most well-known rising stars for the last two decades. He was always able to have a hit song. His name is rememberable. He has evolved pretty well and carved out a strong niche. So, what do you do when the support you had changes and opportunities shift below your feet?
Finding new pathways is a part of resilience. When one door closes, you must look for the next one. I realized this for the first time when I was forced to change majors. I didn’t have a strong grasp of what my dream was. I spent weeks really analyzing my dream. I always thought I was going to be a doctor until I looked at my most basic desire. My desire was to heal and help the less fortunate. One day, I realized that the path I was walking was not the one he designed for me. At that moment, I had to go back to the drawing board and find another way to use the same gifts to achieve the same dream differently. It was difficult training my mind to go beyond what I always thought, but my evolution eventually placed me where I am today. Now I’m a little more than a year away from two masters degrees.
Had to pray, keep it cool until I walk up out it
Rap Genius says that he said breathe instead of pray, but I prefer praying. Spending time with my old mentor, Pam Cooper, she kept reiterating the necessity of being still. It doesn’t necessarily mean stop functioning but it does mean waiting on the answer you are seeking.
Before I found a way to pay off my old college bills, I really started to panic. I was worried about my family and future. There were times that I just wanted to keep trying everything and I ended up in more trouble than anything I solved. In retrospect, I wish I would have been patient instead of acting out of character; I would be so much farther in my life.
This is me so please accept me for who I am
And please accept me for what I do
I’m just doing everything that I can
Cause all I wanna be is true
The one lesson that sticks with me most in life is that we all are struggling and stumbling through life the best way we can. Our parents are flawed, friends are lost, enemies are faking it, and we all are just holding on looking for something real in the world. We all want something genuine and true.
Any favorite songs you connected to this year? Anything that has helped you through a rough patch? Let me know in the comments below.