Don’t Tell Me How To Live My Life

“This world is going up in flames,
And nobody wanna take the blame.
Don’t tell me how to live my life,
When you never felt the pain.

…

I can’t turn my head away seeing all these things,
The world is burning up in flames,
And nobody wanna take the blame.

…

Come on babe, get it right.

Gotta be a better world,
Gotta make it baby,
Gotta make it right.”

–  Lyrics from Charles Bradley’s song ‘The World Is Going Up In Flames’.

For the first time I came across the lyrics was while watching Suits! Many must have heard then for the first time and then you keep humming through out the week and beyond. For those who are wondering, it is the song Harvey is listening to in his office as Donna comes in to ask about his dinner with Cameron. (S1:E11)

Harvey Specter From A Scene From Suits

Well, coming back to the lyrics, it’s true; you cannot tell one how to live life when you actually have never felt the pain. Most of the time, when someone is in a difficult situation, we land up saying, “I understand.” But in reality how much do we understand? May be if we have been in a similar situation then we could relate to it. But that does not happen always. And as every life is different, any experience can be similar but not the same.

‘I understand’ is still a better quote than giving the person in trouble an advice on how to live life or irritating him/her further. Because there is a high possibility that you may land up getting a lecture on how many mistakes you have made in life, how you should have lived life or behaved, and if you are unlucky, this could be accompanied with a bruised eye or swollen face. (Oouch!).

My advice: Help the person make it right and do not advice unless asked for. When Harvey is in an extremely difficult situation, Donna leaves Harvey to himself, Mike helps him so much as asked for, however Litt, who is unaware of the situation but senses something is not right, still as usual goes on irritating Harvey further and you know what happens to dear Litt if you have seen the episode.

Think about it (a little thought can save you from a lot of trouble). Till then, I will continue to listen and enjoy this beautiful song. 🙂

…Ashu Bolar