While I was working out today, listening to Macklemore, Starting Over started playing. Below is the verse that always strikes a chord with me.
And every kid that came up to me
And said I was the music they listened to when they first got clean
Now look at me, a couple days sober, I’m fighting demons
Back of that meeting on the East Side, shaking, tweaking
Hope that they don’t see it, hope that no one is looking
That no one recognizes that failure under that hoodie
Just posted in the back with my hands crossed, shooken
If they call on me I’m passin’, if they talk to me I’m booking
Out that door, but before, I can make it
Somebody stops me and says “Are you Macklemore?
Maybe this isn’t the place or time, I just wanted to say that
If it wasn’t for ‘Otherside,’ I wouldn’t have made it”
I just looked down at the ground and say, “Thank you”
She tells me she has nine months, and that she’s so grateful
Tears in her eyes, looking like she’s gonna cry, fuck
I barely got forty-eight hours, treated like I’m some wise monk
I want to tell her I relapsed, but I can’t
I just shake her hand and tell her, “Congrats”
Get back to my car, and I think I’m tripping, yeah
Cause God wrote “Otherside,” that pen was in my handMacklemore and Ryan Lewis, Starting Over, The Heist
If Macklemore had been demonized for his relapse, if he hadn’t instead written a song about being an inspiration to those who have failed and are “starting over”, he never would’ve become the world-famous Macklemore he is today. This song reminds me of a powerful quote.
People change, people grow, people become different people every day. Part of being human is to be able to forgive and forget. Sometimes it’s difficult to put your ego aside and question “If I were in that situation I would’ve done _________ instead”.
Part of life is going through a metamorphosis. We are constantly consuming ideas, gleaning cues from those around us, learning new ways to tackle a task. We are also experimenting with failure. We mess up, a lot. We can’t judge people on who they were, only what they want to become.
Life’s about giving opportunity to the most people to see what they do with their chances.