How About You.

Afternoon, Guys…

“If someone else showed you the way

Would you take the wheel and steer?

It hurts me that you're not ashamed

Of what you're doing here

If they jumped off a bridge

Would you meet them on the ground?

Or would you try and claim

That it never made a sound

Everyone plays the hand they're dealt

And learns to walk through life themselves

Not everything in life is, handed on a plate

When people think your words are true

It doesn't matter what you do

I sold my soul to get here

How 'bout you?

So you choose to force your hand

What a strange way to make friends

And you always change the rules

So the drama never ends

And you blindly go through life

Judging only by what its worth

Just try not to forget

That the meek inherit earth

Everyone plays the hand they're dealt

And learns to walk through life themselves

Not everything in life is, handed on a plate

When people think your words are true

It doesn't matter what you do

I sold my soul to get here

How 'bout you?

So please don't take offense

This is just a point of view

'Cause I'm the only one who

Will say these things to you

Everyone plays the hand they're dealt

And learns to walk through life themselves

Not everything in life is, handed on a plate

When people think your words are true

It doesn't matter what you do

I sold my soul to get here

How 'bout you?”

So, I’ve been revisiting Staind lately.  I don’t know why I really started identifying with them.  I guess it was watching videos and seeing Aaron leaning into his lyric delivery.  I could feel he really felt what he was singing.  Then, we got to see them in Lubbock before they broke up, and Aaron went Country, which he’s really not bad at, either.

“How About You” has always been one of my favorites, because it covers a lot of life lessons. 

Go with me on this.

The first lesson is about being a leader and a mentor, which I’ve had the PRIVILEGE of doing with another crip kid, Kivan, a few years ago.  Also, as we’ve said before, we hope we’re helping people here through whatever.  There’s no better legacy than paying it forward what a person’s learned.

I’ve got friends I KNOW can be better than they are but can’t get out of their OWN way to get there, it hurts.  All you can do is be there for them.  If it brings you down, you might have to make the choice of having to cut them off for your own well-being.

Next, are you a sheep?  Are you gonna let YOURSELF be led to slaughter?  Sometimes, that lone sheep goes missing and no one misses it.  Hopefully, not.  ‘Nough said.

Friends are friends regardless.  Flippin’ the script every time makes for a slippery slope that WILL end in disaster…so will be possessiveness.  If you judge people by what they do or don’t have or what they can give you, you WILL wind up alone.  Be gracious.

Along the same lines, we all need that one friend that’ll call us on our shit…and, they’re the ONLY one that’ll be brutally honest.  Joey’s mine.  Yeah, it hurts, and we, as humans, get defensive and lash out.  I’ve got a temper, I’ve got to catch myself, but I know she’s got my best interests.

Hopefully, if you haven’t heard the stuff we say here, we can, again, help you out.  I know I get hardcore from time to time, I tend not to have a filter, but I never say shit without a reason.

The chorus states the obvious, that we all own our lives for better or worse and be careful what you say, because those that look up to you, WILL take your words as gospel.

I know I got deep on this, but this song REALLY makes me think about myself and life.

How about you?

Be good to each other.

-J-