Fight or Flight
A Moment's Worth Lyrics
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Our first year here must be the hardest of our lives—I've never seen my mother cry so many times. I remember that I always missed my dad, but we joked a lot, thank God for that.
I'd get lost inside my mind when I'd start day dreaming—escape was my solution for just about everything.
Is your life only what you want to, only what you want to believe?
Do you see only what you want to, only what you want yourself to see?
(Is this my life? 'Cause I've been so confused. My memory it lies to me, it's often of no use. Is this my life? 'Cause I've just gotten used to running from what bothers me and starting over new.)
I remember I tried so hard to fit in and learn to speak this language fluently. Inside I never felt like part of the crowd and somehow knew that I could never be.
I felt truly alive with paper and a pen, expressing my emotions vividly. And how I could put down what I couldn't say became a life sustaining part of me.
'd get so lost inside the world I was creating, reality would disappear and so would everything.
Chorus
Is your life only what you want to, only what you want to believe?
Do you see only what you want to, only what you want yourself to see?
In the blink of an eye, 22 years passed me by and left me what I am: someone that I'm still trying to understand.
In the blink of an eye, a whole lifetime has left me with these choices that I've made and the consequences of my actions
The song "Fight or Flight" by A Moment's Worth tells the story of a family who fled from war and bombs and came to the United States for a better life. The lyrics convey a sense of mixed feelings of excitement and fear as an 8-year-old child sees the toy cities and greenery from an airplane. The first year in the new country was the hardest, and the mother cried many times, and the child missed the father, but they joked a lot, which was a relief. The child found escape in daydreaming and realized that this world inside their mind was a life-sustaining part of them.
The second verse is about trying to fit in and learn to speak the new language fluently, while feeling like an outsider never truly be part of the crowd. The child found solace in writing, which helped them express their emotions vividly. They would get so lost in their world that reality would disappear. The chorus asks whether life is only what we want to believe and whether we see only what we want to see. The final verse highlights the fact that years have passed and left the singer with hard choices and the consequences of their actions.
The song speaks to the immigrant experience and the challenges of fitting into a new society while maintaining one's identity. The lyrics also explore the power of memory, and how it can both help and hinder us. The choice between fight or flight refers to the decision whether to confront a problem or to run from it, which can be seen as a metaphor for life in general. Overall, the song is a reflection on how one's experiences shape who they are and ask questions about what makes a good life.
Line by Line Meaning
We fled from wars and the bombs that leveled homes to the land of opportunity.
We left war-torn areas to go to a place with promising hope, dodging literal and metaphorical bombs.
I still remember that airplane view of toy cities and greenery.
I recall feeling a mix of awe and terror looking down on miniature cities and crying nature from high up on an airplane.
Our first year here must be the hardest of our lives-I've never seen my mother cry so many times.
My mother cried a lot in our first year of living in our new home, and I don't remember ever having seen her cry that many times before in my life.
I remember that I always missed my dad, but we joked a lot, thank God for that.
I missed my father terribly, but we tried to find laughter wherever we could, even amidst the struggle.
I'd get lost inside my mind when I'd start day dreaming-escape was my solution for just about everything.
I'd become far removed from reality with a thought and found solace in any way I could to cope with hardships.
Is your life only what you want to, only what you want to believe?
Do you believe that your life is what you make it?
Do you see only what you want to, only what you want yourself to see?
Do you notice only what you choose to see, or what you want to see?
(Is this my life? 'Cause I've been so confused. My memory it lies to me, it's often of no use. Is this my life? 'Cause I've just gotten used to running from what bothers me and starting over new.)
I'm unsure about my own existence, and my memories are failing me. Sometimes starting over and avoiding the tough decisions feels like the best option.
But yet what would I be without my memory?
Despite its faults, memory is a vital component of who I am and gives me a sense of identity.
I remember I tried so hard to fit in and learn to speak this language fluently.
I made a great effort to assimilate and learn the language of this new place with fervor.
Inside I never felt like part of the crowd and somehow knew that I could never be.
Despite my considerable efforts, I knew deep down that I would never truly fit in with the crowd.
I felt truly alive with paper and a pen, expressing my emotions vividly.
Writing became a sanctuary for me as it allowed me to work through emotions in a more tangible way.
And how I could put down what I couldn't say became a life sustaining part of me.
The ability to express feelings in writing was a consequential aspect of how I came to understand myself.
I'd get so lost inside the world I was creating, reality would disappear and so would everything.
I developed a talent for escaping into my writing, often finding myself completely lost in the alternate universe I created.
In the blink of an eye, 22 years passed me by and left me what I am: someone that I'm still trying to understand.
Time has passed by quicker than expected, leaving me as the person I am still trying to comprehend.
In the blink of an eye, a whole lifetime has left me with these choices that I've made and the consequences of my actions
The transient nature of time has led me to reflect on the choices I've made, and the positive and negative ramifications of those decisions.
Contributed by Sarah R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.