Revisit: Day 1
The ‘LIT’ Album Experience
LIT is a ‘lyrical remix’ album where I take mainstream pop and hip hop songs that have an amazing sound and style (but leave a lot to be desired in terms of lyrical content), and I infuse them with my own original, spiritually-conscious lyrics.
Day 2 – “What If”
🎥 Vlog #2 🎥
🎤 The Original Song 🎤
Troye Sivan – “YOUTH”
Song Facts:
Release Date: 11/13/2015
Billboard Hot 100 Chart Peak: 23rd
U.S. Record Sales: 1 million+
YouTube Streams: 110 million+
⬇️ My Lyrical Remix – “What If” ⬇️
✍ The Lyrics ✍
[Verse 1]
What if you were being lied to?
What if your true purpose just slipped right by you?
What if you had been deceived?
What if all this time they made you believe in a fairytale but it was really all fiction?
What if the truth has been hidden?
What if we’re staring at a mirage? A facade built to keep us from God,
What if this whole time you were upside down?
Now, what if you flip the world around?
Break loose from the snares, you ain’t taking the bait,
Let your soul right through that heavenly gate,
What if? yeah yeah,
What if? yeah yeah,
What if you see the pomp and the glory for what it really is?
What if you tap into what’s really glorious?
Dust off the dross, turn up your light,
Burning veils, flying free,
[Hook]
I’m feeling good like, yeah, I’m feeling good like,
[Verse 2]
What if you looked past the delusion?
What if you saw the solution sitting right inside of you?
Your heart is a lamp, let the light shine through,
What if you took back your life?
What if you let the rays of truth light up the night?
What if you cracked the shackles?
Freed your soul up,
What if you became a pure channel?
A hollow reed from which the pith of self hath been blown,
What if you surrendered your will to the Will of a Higher Power, building a heavenly home?
What if? yeah yeah,
What if? yeah yeah yeah,
What if you blocked out those siren voices beckoning you to make all the wrong choices?
Got my eyes on the real prize, ditching the distractions, I’m alive,
[Hook]
Feeling good like, yeah, I’m feeling good like,
Feeling good like, yeah, I’m feeling good like,
[Verse 3]
What if there’s more to being a youth than living wild and free?
That story is a spoof,
Being popular and cool, or getting good grades,
What use is it all?
What if it was all in vain?
All that power and vigor and energy being stolen,
What if you became awoken?
Can’t steal me from my purpose, I’m steeled for life of service,
[Hook]
Feeling good like, yeah, I’m feeling good like,
Feeling good like, yeah, I’m feeling good like,
What if?
🎁 Bonus Content 🎁
Today’s song and bonus content all connect to a very special youth conference I attended in 2013. It was one of 114 youth conferences held across the world for Baha’i youth and their friends to reflect on the role of youth in society, and how we could all work together to contribute to the advancement of civilization. It CHANGED MY LIFE!!
It helped me put my life in perspective and set me on a path of service to my community!
Below you’ll find a download of: 1) the amazing materials we studied at the youth conference (which I regularly return to, and which inspired “What If”, as well as the songs below), 2) The Movement (a song featuring my friend AWU, off my Wizdome album), 3) Youth Can Move The World (a song featuring my friends Jose Maria Fierro and Kishan The Educator, off Jose Maria’s Rooftops and Sidewalks album).
1) 2013 Youth Conference Materials
2) The Movement (ft. AWU)
3) Y.C.M.T.W. (ft. Jose Maria Fierro & Kishan The Educator)
🤔 Elevated Conversation 🤔
Let’s continue our discussion! Based on today’s lyrical remix, here’s another question for reflection:
1) Imagining a better world, finish the following statement/question: “What if __________________?”
Our imagination is one of the most powerful capacities of the human intellect. Progress begins as an idea from our imagination, which then provides a vision and framework for action. I’m really eager to see what ideas spring forth from your imagination! Leave your thoughts below!👇🏽
What if we focused energy on learning how youth, when buttressed by the wholehearted support of the community can be the spearhead of any enterprise and can, indeed, change the world? We can no longer accept the separation of generations. Our communities need every individual, every creative mind and energetic spirit to solve the problems we face. And every person, whatever their age, needs the support and accompaniment of others. What if we focused our energies on learning how to build bridges through engaging in basic, friendly conversations not only with those who look like or sound like us or who appear to be our same age, but with all those who cross our paths? And once we have learned how to engage in basic, friendly conversation, what if we engage in deeper conversations, developing shared vision around how we can make the world better?
I think if we did all these things, the world would be a much friendlier and kind place to live in! We would see and approach others with joy and trust, rather than apathy and suspicion. It’s amazing how when you engage in a friendly conversation with someone how it totally transforms how you view them!
Thanks for these simple, yet profound questions to ponder!! 🙏
What if, I wouldn’t have made a poor decision in the past that caused so much pain in my life would my life be better? Maybe not as both my good and bad decisions put me right where I am “today” writing on a Vlog at 12:14a about What if? proud of my son who is helping others share about this profound question.
You should read the comment thread between Tyson and I below👇🏽, we were discussing this theme a bit, i.e., when we make a poor choice in life in inevitably becomes part of the “thread” of our carpet. We can look at it as a blemish, or we can incorporate it into the larger design and make something beautiful out of it.
I’d say you’ve made some beautiful designs out of the mistakes you’ve made over the course of our life! 🙏🏽
What if we would say hi to every person we passed by and engaged in conversation. If we were vulnerable, we would see how alike we truly are. And we could begin to understand the need this world has: to be seen, known understood and loved! How beautiful would that be. What is instead of going home and spending hours on social media or watching tv we went out and sought to make a connection with a total stranger. That is how I met Colby and Mallory. This is so inspiring!
YESSS!!! Thank you for sharing Melissa!!! I wonder this a lot too! What if I was more outgoing and social with those I see during my daily activities around the community. It’s so easy to just ignore people and go about our routine. Anytime I make more of an effort to reach out to people though, I’m always so confirmed!!
Like you said, that is how WE MET! You’ve got me inspired to start doing some more outreach in the community to meet some new people and spread the unity!
My greatest obstacles are self imposed, such as: self centeredness, fear, selfishness, and material attachments. If I could be free of these, I would Homefront pioneer with my wife, and I would be of service in every way that Baha’u’llah would have me. As the absence of these would allow me to be an open channel to the guidance of God. With that being said, even with the multitude of obstacles, either external or self imposed, I have still been given the ability and blessing to be of great service in the cause of God and helping others in many ways.
Wow… yes, I was just talking about this with a friend today!! So many of our obstacles to serving humanity and contributing to advancement of ourselves and society are SELF IMPOSED!
What if… we got out of our own way and TRULY became a divine channel for God’s confirmations??
There’s a path to truly becoming that divine channel. Some who imagine it never achieve it, others become that without even seeming to seek it. I believe God wants each of us in our own individual capacities, and either already has or will present to each seeker everything he or she needs to become that channel, with Baha U’llah being the primary source and Abdu’l-Baha the perfect example. I believe that if I humbly, and sincerely, and faithfully ask Him, it will happen. In His way and His time.
Looking forward to more great topics of discussion. The Best
I would spend more time in the field of Bahai Service.
🙏🙏What if… everyone gave 5-10 hours a week serving their community, working for spiritual and material progress?
I would teach children classes and attend Junior Youth classes every day
BEAUTIFUL!!
What if… every child and junior youth was in a children’s class and junior youth group that aimed to bring out their gems and help the develop a spirit of service to others?
What if our communities had more involvement with the youth?
I’m an only child and grew up with a single parent. There were times I was in the care of others, which maybe they felt I wasn’t their responsibility to care for me. Being a curious youth, I asked questions and received very one sided answers or “just because I say so” response. And having that acute sense of justice, what they were telling me, didn’t align with what my mum taught me. Which may have added to me leaving my church and then going on a 10+ years of showing resentment towards God, my beliefs. And giving into my selfish desires and materialistic wants.
So “what if” the community shared a common purpose with my mum and felt they had a responsibility to contribute in my upbringing?
“What if” I started feeling more responsible as well?
WOW! What a powerful question… “What if our communities had more involvement with the youth?”
This question REALLY resonates, as I feel I did not receive much guidance from anyone besides my parents during my youth, and I wonder how my life trajectory would have been affected if I had a few mentors from the community who would have helped guide me. I fee like the first half of my youth was wasted on such trivial matters, and it wasn’t until my early 20’s where I started “waking up” and seeing what was truly important.
As I state in “What If”… “All the power and vigor and energy being stolen… what if you became awoken? Can’t steal me from my purpose, I’m steeled for a life of service…”
Imagine if all the youth of the world became awoken to the power they possess to be a positive change agent through service to their communities?? Ahhh, what a beautiful vision!!
What if we had unity within our families?
What would that look like?
After some reflection in my own life, I do recognize that it is easier for me to be more understanding and forgiving to a stranger, than it is with my own family.
Going off your comment on the imagination, I’m trying something different today. This is the first “what if” question that came to mind. Now I’m going to listen to all the content and see if another “what if” will come to mind later on.
Another fantastic question! The family is the foundation of society, so any positive change to the family structure would NO DOUBT have a positive affect on society!
It’s interesting how family dynamics can be. I also find that I can be much more critical of those close to me, which I think is because of how close and familiar we can become with our loved ones. It can also make it more difficult to forgive, as the pain that results from being wronged by a loved one can run deep!
I remember once talking with a youth in my neighborhood, and I noticed she kept criticizing her younger siblings. I then paused her and asked “what’s something positive about your little sister?” The youth looked at me, pondered for a second, and said… “I don’t know. Nothing, really.” It really took me back and showed me how unity is truly lacking in so many families. This youth had been trained to see everything negative about her siblings, and could not name a SINGLE positive characteristic. It was really sobering… So yes, if we had unity in the family, I think things would look way different.
This makes me wonder… what if we were trained to only see what was positive in others?