Growing up, I went through some strange phases, as most kids do. I stopped combing my hair at a young age, and started to wash it with just the bar of soap instead of shampoo. I decided to walk and hitch-hike everywhere I went instead of using transit, and I just plain stopped caring about what anyone thought of me – period. I decided to just be myself at all times.

But one of the most interesting phases was when I was about 18 years old:

I decided that I was going to listen to nothing but Bob Marley. That was it. If I was in someone else’s car or house or a place of business, I had no choice, but when the choice was mine it was “All Bob, all the time”. I had over 30 different Bob Marley albums so it wasn’t hard to do, I would listen to it while I drive, while I skate, and every night while I fell asleep, and this lasted for about 1 year.

You see, one day my whole life just straight up changed. I had an awakening. This was when I decided to never cut my hair again, and to let Freedom take its toll. Most people bow down to society’s ways and fall into the traps of the brainwashing that is all over the media. They tell you how to dress, how to look, how to smell, how to walk, where to work, who to vote for, what to eat and drink, and even how to act in our own homes. You see, the government wants us all to be the same in as many ways as possible so it’s easier for them to control society.

But Bob Marley was always about Freedom – Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religious Beliefs, Freedom to Be Yourself, no matter who you are. And he preached his beliefs in song. And he taught so many people how to listen, how to hear, and how to be Free.

Most people relate Bob Marley to pot. They love him for his belief in legalizing marijuana, but those people have never heard what Robert Nesta Marley was really preaching about.

Bob was a lover,

Bob was a Freedom Fighter,

And Bob was a Black Man in a White Man’s World.

His main purpose in life was to teach people that we are all Human Beings, no matter what color, no matter what race, no matter what size.

No matter where we live now, we all came from the same Africa Land,

And all Bob wanted was for Man to Unite.

I love Bob Marley,

He is my hero, my mentor, my idol.

I believe that if Bob Marley was still alive today, the world we live in would be different in many ways.

His lyrics and beliefs helped me through the toughest stage of my life, when I felt lost in the world and needed advice and had no one to turn to. It was his lyrics that brought me to British Columbia where I am a mentor to so many others, and I will always praise him for that.

In the song Soul Rebel, Bob Marley sings:

“If you’re not living good, travel wide”

And no sentence can ring more true.

If what you have is not satisfying your soul, then leave it behind you and start over somewhere new. Your calling is out there, but it’s up to you to go find it. Don’t stay stuck in a place where you’re sad, find yourself, find your true meaning of existence, and you will know what Freedom is…

Every month I will write down my favourite quotes from Bob Marley songs and express what they mean to me and why.

Stay tuned…

Thank You

Hippie Mike