Some of us are truly "Royal"

You know when you get a song in your head and a particular line replays like an old-school 78 skipping on the record player? Lorde’s sultry voice crooning, “And we’ll never be royals. It don’t run in our blood. That kind of luxe just ain’t for us.We crave a different kind of buzz,” has run a million times in my thoughts. It got me wondering why that line in particular was replaying. The concept of “Royals” has been a fantasy I’ve always welcomed. I knew my secret sense of inner superiority and intellect was because I had royal blood in my veins whether African, Egyptian, European or some insane, but not impossible combination of all three.

Standing in the middle of Walmart during my weekly grocery pilgrimage, belting “Royals” in my head, I realized the irony of the situation even though no one knew of this secret discovery but me.

Who and what I thought I would be was not to become what blends into the Walmart culture, but, I have found that I recognize workers I have been there so much. Each time I visit, I see hardworking employees on the hop, greeting me with a shared weary smile from one soul who’s trying to make it to another they recognize the same traits in. Though I don’t have tattoos on my neck or have to ride an automated wheelchair with the built-in basket, I have my own issues with peeling eczema, have lived paycheck to paycheck, dealt with unemployment, sick and dying family members, kids on my nerves and figuring out how I am going to “get by” one more week. I have been so exhausted I can barely put one foot in front of the other and have stood analyzing prices to ensure I won’t go over budget as the last few items move across the belt and are rung up at the register.

Oh, I’m no royal. Outwardly. But, like my fellow shoppers, I have a family I love, a job I need and am lucky enough to love, have aches and pains, uncertainty in my future and practice the art of creative cookery in the kitchen to stretch my budget.

And for that, we are royal. The “buzz” we “crave” is that feeling of knowing you made it when so many haven’t. That you made it when you shouldn’t have. So, even though, “Everybody's like: Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece, Jet planes, islands, tiger's on a gold leash. We don't care. We're aren't caught up in your love affair,” I do have a love affair. It is is one of feeding my family and living to tell about another day.

And for that, we are royal. I rock my invisible crown on the daily. I see those of you out there in yours as well, my fellow royals.

Lyrics courtesy of: LetsSingIt - Your favorite Music Community  http://artists.letssingit.com/lorde-lyrics-royals-w4wq4mg#ixzz2gzCFmjG4