Everything I Almost Wasn't

This track comes from the Lowcountry marshes where Aaron found wisdom knee-deep in pluff mud. It tackles Gratitude for the near-misses. All the times he almost quit, almost took the safe job, almost gave up on the dream. The alternate timelines he didn't live in.. The lyrics get specific — "Almost never saw the ocean from a deck at 0300" — because personal tracks on Majik's are personal for real, not performatively. The indie rock production matches the energy of the confession. It hits grateful and intense, in that order. Every personal track in the catalogue comes from a real moment, a real feeling, a real person. This one is no exception.

[verse 1] I almost took the government job with the pension and the plan Almost settled for the cubicle and the nine-to-five sedan Almost said yes to the safe when every bone screamed go Almost packed the dream away where no one else would know I almost wasn't founder, almost wasn't CTO Almost wasn't standing here, almost let it go But something in the almost made me turn around and fight The version of myself who'd rather be polite [chorus] I'm grateful for everything I almost wasn't Every safe road that I didn't take because it Would have led me to a life that fits but doesn't breathe Grateful for the almost that taught me to believe In the uncomfortable, the uncertain, the insane Everything I almost wasn't is the reason for the gain I'm grateful for the almosts that I turned into a yes And the yeses that I built into this beautiful mess [verse 2] I almost wasn't Navy, almost signed a different line Almost stayed ashore where the weather's always fine Almost never saw the ocean from a deck at 0300 Almost never learned the weight that turns a boy to plenty Almost never met the brothers who would shape my spine Almost never learned to lead, almost never learned to shine In the dark, which is the only place that shining matters I almost chose the easy and it would have shattered Everything [chorus] I'm grateful for everything I almost wasn't Every safe road that I didn't take because it Would have led me to a life that fits but doesn't breathe Grateful for the almost that taught me to believe [bridge] In some parallel universe there's an Aaron who said no Who played it safe, who didn't build, who didn't let it show That the unconventional was the only way that fit And I feel sorry for that version, but I'm grateful I'm not it Because this version, this mess, this midnight-grinding man Is the one who built the unicorn with nothing but his hands [verse 3] So here's to almost, the scariest word I know Almost quit, almost didn't, almost let it go But I didn't, and the full circle brought me right back here To everything I almost wasn't, grateful, full of cheer [outro] Almost wasn't But I am And that's the whole story