When i first heard this great song I was around 8-10 y/o (born 1988) & I loved it since I first heard it. It was all about rhythm and beat back then, but I always knew there was something more I'd understand when I got got older. It's March of 2018, I'm 29 y/o. This song depicts the struggles of: a man who love god & all of God's joys, God's people,the struggles of influence, drug addiction, love, and wanting to stay pure, I will elaborate. Keep in mind tupac was 25y/o when assassinated, this was an outcome that he figured was most likely to happen, so with his work he wanted to die as a martyr. He opens the song with shared words to God, that we are able to use in our life as well (use them) even though he was signed to deathrow surrounded by men who were custome to a deeper darker evil, although tupac was not. To prove that he immediately mentions elementary school, in which generally speaking is a time we are closer to God due to our freshness and purity, since not long ago we were in the care of God. In those time we were very impressionable, pivotal moments liable to go any direction due to surroundings. We know the way he went & how the story unfolds for the most part. After the childhood memories fade with the friends, fishing, blue skies & green grass fades, he mentions how although those times were full of joy and pain he will not live in the past to them dictatevhis future, but it's all very relatable. Fast forward ti hid coming if age. Being a black male in ame rica is difficult especially in the 90's and early, which is why he mentions so many homies who have died, most in a premature fashion. With no biological father to guide him, he took a defensive, not offensive approach to life (be the first to blast, remember kato) assumably as a protector against bullies, to give strength to himself and his listeners, passion for everyone. Although he was always spiritually rich, he gained his financial wealth toward the end of his life. He smoked lots of weed and also sold and use street drugs such as cocaine, you can deduce that from interviews, and from him saying (my life is indenial) to assume that that even though those things were in his life they were under control, which can never be, because drugs like those effect every part of your daily life, especially when you add in: influencers, alcohol, marijuana & a surplus of money. He wanted out and/or started out on a different path, which is he mentioned how (I'm lost and I'm weary) which may apply when you get in over your head with no one at your status to help aside from God. Tupac associated those feelings with death, which is a defensive mechanisms to prevent one from going further. I don't believe those feelings were ignored, but rather, others around him saw that golden light that was inescapable unless death ensued. This song was and is a plea to take heed to your intuition & to live a righteous life while fighting for those weaker before it's too late. Rather or not Tupac was a believer or not is not important, what's important is that he had enough love to reach out to any and everyone, no matter the race or gender, to have a beautiful, peace filled strong life. I could speak more on the subject, but I believe the just of it all has been talked about clearly. Thank you for your time definitely, whatever it is that brought you here I want you to know that you are not alone, I'm rooting for you, and you can do this no matter what you coworkers, family friends or spouse may say, I believe in you truly. If you want to reach me. My email is God bless you. ✌