My world, it moves so fast today. The past, it seems so far away, and life squeezes so tight that I can’t breathe. And every time I’ve tried to be what someone else thought of me – so caught up, I was unable to achieve. But deep in my heart, the answer, it was in me, and I made up my mind to define my own destiny.
I look at my environment and wonder where the fire went – what happened to everything we used to be? I hear so many cry for help, searching outside of themselves. Now I know that His strength is within me. And deep in my heart, the answer, it was in me, and I made up my mind to define my own destiny.
Simple words to a profound song. The first verse speaks to Lauryn’s battle with external expectations and the desires to others dictating her life. How many of us have felt overwhelmed by the number of opinions and projections and thoughts that other people had for our lives that we couldn’t even see ourselves in the mirror anymore? Everyone has an opinion as to what you should do or who you should be, and that extends beyond individuals to things like your job, your organizational affiliations, your belief system, society, etc, until it’s possible that the only thing you know about you is your name (and even that can be changed with enough money and the right forms). But, in the midst of the swirling chaos of other people’s expectations, Lauryn says, “But deep in my heart, the answer, it was in me, and I made up my mind to define my own destiny.” She recognizes that, despite the multiplicity of opinions and suggestions, she is the only one who holds the answer to who she really is and what she should do, and so she makes up her mind to shape her life as she sees fit.
Then, in verse two, she takes a wider lens and looks at the people around her. She ponders the lack of passion and strength that characterizes the people she sees. And one of the key lines in this verse for me is “I hear so many cry for help, searching outside of themselves.” For me, this line speaks to the entirety of the problem. People so often look to define themselves with things that are outside of themselves – salary, position of power, spouse/significant other, economic status, car, house, children, fraternity/sorority, religious doctrine (as opposed to relationship with God) – and this is what causes issues. If who I am is based on the car I drive, and I lose the car, have I lost myself? Am I so fleeting that the loss of one material item or one relationship can negate my existence? Who was I before I had that item then, and does my entire life really revolve around something that is as fleeting as I am if not more so?
It is imperative that your identity be in something that you have some control over, i.e. yourself. You were created unique and beautiful with certain gifts and passions that embody who you are. Granted, life will shape how those gifts and passions are manifested, but it is up to you to remain true to your created, authentic self, because people will always try to say that you should be something else (especially if it better suits their needs). Even your friends with the best of intentions may not always be able to see the full beauty of who you are, and it’s up to you to fight for who you are. But the beauty of the next line of the song is that the battle is not yours alone. “Now I know that His strength is within me.” When you understand that the Divine created and gifted you a certain way, then you can rest assured that the passion you have for XYZ is part of a bigger plan to serve all of creation. Is it hard to be authentically you in the face of opposition? YES. But is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY. At the end of the day, you are the only person who lives in your skin and deals with your conscience. You are the only one who knows what your heart feels is right.
So make up in your mind to define your own destiny…
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