Still Growing Up

I'm a big fan of Macklemore and Ryan Lewis. Ever since they put out Same Love, I listen closely to what they produce and say in their music. Their recent single Growing Up has me emotional and grateful for another beautiful piece they have co-created. Growing Up is a letter to Macklemore's daughter Sloane, that he wrote a month before she was born. It's a reflective and emotional ode to parenthood, childhood and the path in between.


I've been thinking a lot about the culture of Govs and the boarding school community in general, and how easy it is to get caught up in the ups and downs of our shared experiences (like what we all went through last week). And although we may go through them together, independently, or on very separate terms, in the end, we come together as a community - somehow. So, if you are harboring some pain or ill feeling towards elders, authorities, parents or peers, listen to this song and know that we are all groping our way through the dark spots of life. The truth is, we're ALL still growing up and have miles to go before we sleep.

Here are a few of my favorite parts:

They say boys don't cry
But your dad has shed a lot of tears
They say I should be a strong man
But baby, I'm still filled with fear
Sometimes I don't know who I am
Sometimes I question why I'm here

Get back to community that raised you up
Read Langston Hughes, I suggest A Raisin in the Sun
Listen to Sam Cooke, a change gon' come
You put the work in, don't worry about the praise, my love
Don't try to change the world, find something that you love
And do it every day
Do that for the rest of your life
And eventually, the world will change

I'm still growing up

I recommend that you read The Alchemist
Listen to your teachers, but cheat in calculus
Tell the truth, regardless of the consequence


Don't wake your mom up,do yoga, learn 'bout karma
Find God, but leave the dogma
The quickest way to happiness is learning to be selfless
Ask more questions, talk about yourself less
Study David Bowie, James Baldwin and 2Pac
Watch the sun set with best friends from a rooftop
Wear a helmet, don't be stupid,jaywalk, but look before you do it
If it snows, go outside, build a jump, get some help
Get a sled, thrash the hill with your friends, 'til it melts
Go to festivals, camp, fall in love and dance
You're only young once, my loved one, this is your chance
Take risks, 'cause life moves so fast
You're only young once, my loved one, this is your chance

Times are changing, I know, but who am I
If I'm the person you become
If I'm still growing up.

And if music is not the anecdote for you, perhaps a book that Macklemore suggested can offer a similar remedy. You can find the following in our stacks!

The Langston Hughes reader, by Langston Hughes. [810.81 HUG] 

The alchemist, by Coelho, Paulo.  [FIC COE] 

Another country, by Baldwin, James. [FIC BAL] 
Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust : off the record with the Beatles, Bowie, Elton & so much more, by Scott, Ken; Owsinski, Bobby. [620.209 SCO]