Most people want to be in control of what happens to them. We’re always afraid of others steering us wrong so we think it’s safest when we have the wheel. It’s comforting to know what’s going to happen next and it’s natural for us as people to want to call the shots. However, letting this fear define us can be destructive. We become so afraid of the potential bad that we stop caring about the potential good that comes with it. One of my favorite artists is an Australian teen, Ruel. When I played his latest single on my way home from school on a Friday afternoon, the lyrics made me stop and think. As I listened to them, I couldn’t ignore the meaning they had. “So I leave before you go, ‘Cause there’s no tears when it’s my fault, This self sabotage, all of our other scars don’t compare.” We ruin things before we ever get the chance to see what they might become. We let fear guide us to our own self destruction. We’re so afraid of the heartbreak or humiliation that we might be put through, we ruin it ourselves before someone else gets the chance. We’re all guilty of this, myself included. I’m afraid people will notice my insecurities so I tear myself down in front of them first. I’m afraid they’ll leave my message on read so I decide to do it to them first. I’m afraid I’ll embarrass myself so I don’t even try. I’ve listened to this song over and over again since I first heard it. I’ve thought about all of the times I’ve ruined my own chances at happiness or learning experiences because I don’t want the pain. I’ve thought about all the times I’ve told myself that it’s better for me to be in control of the situation and potentially hurt others or myself than to let someone else do it. My favorite part of the song is the chorus. “Take the river to the sea, Drown myself so I don’t sink, Find my peace there underneath the hurricane, Break a promise so I can leave, Burn a forest so I can sleep, Lay my headstone, let the grass grow over me.” The title of the single is “LET THE GRASS GROW,” referring to the last line of the chorus. While that line seems to be a warning about digging your own grave, I think choosing that little phrase for the title was very intentional. For me, the title has a strong message of its own. Let the grass grow. See what happens. Give things a chance to develop naturally and see where they take you. Stop letting your fear guide every decision you make. Don’t cut the grass because you’re afraid weeds might grow. Everyone fails and everyone gets hurt. It’s part of life and, if we let it happen, it can be a beautiful thing. You do nothing but hurt yourself by not letting things happen the way they are meant to. Stop ruining things before they even have a chance to begin. Allow yourself to let go of control and let things happen to you. The grass can only get greener…if you let it grow.