This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
You are lost in the ocean of your dreams and what is real
But the blue green surface only covers what you feel
And the lighthouse that you find
Casts a beam across your mind and there's your home
But don't you ever wonder could you travel in the dark
Alone
You can sail by yourself but you're never on your own
You will search for the light in the way that you have
Known
And the lighthouse on the shore
Casts a beam into your door and there's your home
But don't you ever wonder could you travel in the dark
Alone
When your eyes start to think of all the things that
Can't be seen
You can stare into the darkness and discover what I mean
And the lighthouse that you see
Casts a beam that shines on me and there's your home
But don't you ever wonder could you travel in the dark
Alone
But the blue green surface only covers what you feel
And the lighthouse that you find
Casts a beam across your mind and there's your home
But don't you ever wonder could you travel in the dark
Alone
You can sail by yourself but you're never on your own
You will search for the light in the way that you have
Known
And the lighthouse on the shore
Casts a beam into your door and there's your home
But don't you ever wonder could you travel in the dark
Alone
When your eyes start to think of all the things that
Can't be seen
You can stare into the darkness and discover what I mean
And the lighthouse that you see
Casts a beam that shines on me and there's your home
But don't you ever wonder could you travel in the dark
Alone
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The light house is a crutch. Home is their center/ happy place. The dark is some scary thing.
If you could always find your happy place, no matter what the circumstance then you're like... Buddha.
But, in the song, this person has never really faced his fear without the crutch and is questioning himself.
"I always make it through tough circumstances, but I have always done it with a crutch. Am I competent, or is it the crutch?"
I assume he will risk losing the gifts he has (and the benefits they provide) to prove to himself that he can get by without them.
All that being said, I think the situation can be tied to a lot of things. Leaving home, changing jobs, doing heavy drugs... who knows?