Have you heard Eminem’s new song, Headlights? I’m big on lyrics so when his catchy tune caught my ear, I listened up. I almost feel silly writing about this, but every time it comes on the radio I get a little choked up and I can’t get it out of my head. Maybe you aren’t a fan, but I’d like to think that after you hear this song you can appreciate why it touches my heart. After all, good or bad, we all have a mom.
I can’t claim to know much about the rap star other than the story that his movie, 8 Mile, and some of his songs depict. Eminem had a rough childhood to put it mildly and his mother was no June Cleaver. This song speaks to all of that, but forgives his mom for his upbringing, apologizes for things he has said about her in the past, and the basic message is that regardless of all the sh!t he lived through, he will always love her because, bottom line, she is his mom.
Let’s put aside for a minute that he is famous and there may be an element of making money, making headlines, etc. to publishing this song. I think there is more to it than that. I’m impressed with his honest emotion and his bravery for putting his feelings “out there” for the world to hear. As a writer I know how good it feels to get my thoughts onto paper, so as an artist of sorts, I can imagine it is the same for him. But I’m not only moved by his expression, but even more so by the healing he has been through.
Anyone can thank a mom who made dinner every night and took them to soccer practice, but for him to arrive to a place where he can reconcile their differences, let go of the pain he grew up with, and be at peace with her now, had to have been a long, emotional journey. I can’t begin to imagine how you forgive and move past that upbringing.
Regardless of who he is, I’m really impressed by his courage, I appreciate his struggle, and I am so happy for his healing. He has acknowledged his past, let go of the bad, and held on to what matters most to him (the love for his mom). I wish that kind of peace for everyone. How much lighter would we feel if we could let go of grudges, stop blaming other people for the path that we are on, and take full ownership of our lives?
I know I’ve been heavy on the topic of motherhood lately, but well, it is my 24/7 job so I suppose that isn’t surprising. To follow-up from Friday’s post on raising a daughter, I guess if Eminem can forgive his childhood, and still love his mom, I don’t have too much to worry about with my kids. That’s encouraging, right?
Ok, here it is. When you have five minutes, see if you agree. If it’s any consolation, Eminem is working with Spike Lee on the video for this song. That sounds big. I might be on to something…
(I picked a video with the lyrics on the screen- forgive the misspellings, they aren’t mine!)
