Splinters in Your Booty

Photo by Daniel St.Pierre

Have you ever sat on the bench so long that you feel splinters in your booty? Not literally, but figuratively. On his album, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, he has a song called “Count Me Out.” The chorus goes:

I love when you count me out
I love when you count me out
I love when you count me out
I love when you count me out
F— it up, f— it up
F— it up, f— it up, f—in' it up

I feel like the “you” in this song is Kendrick himself. I know the feeling—counting myself out before I even attempt to play. I’ve counted myself out of pursuing dreams out of fear of failure. Transparently, there are times I still do:

i wanted to be the last kid picked for the basketball team,

sitting in sidelines while no one talks to me--

invisible.

i got used to being shy, 

uncoordinated, terrified 

when the ball was passed to me, 

double dribbling when i could've laid it up, 

never imagining that one day, 

i might dunk. 

but now i have a chance to be point guard. 

how can i let my guard down? 

>if i fail, i will let my heart down. 

not trying was so much easier because 

it was a slow way of dying

rather than the sudden death that comes from

late night crying and questioning why in

the world i bothered in the first place. 

but if i don't take risks,

i'll forever be stuck in this place, 

and it's a disgrace 

to count myself out of the game 

at this young of an age. 

so the next time i get picked, 

i'll play.

Are you counting yourself out? Do you have splinters in your booty from sitting on the bench? Trust me, I feel you. And I encourage you to surprise yourself by taking a turn to play.