song for my boys

During the last couple of weeks I've been living to the soundtrack of Jars of Clay's latest album, The Long Fall Back to Earth.

It's a magnificant album which is only getting better around the 20th or 30th listening, but I won't attempt a review. Instead, I'll share with you the lyrics to one of the songs which (as usual!) made me cry the first time I heard it.

Boys (Lesson One) is a song from father to son about love, hope, home and the future in the life of a boy. I've been singing it to my boys. Thomas, of course, wants to know all 100 reasons why I love him, and whether there are really a google or infinity reasons - which indeed there are, for each and every one of my children. And yes, however far they run, this will always be their home.

Boys (Lesson One)

Lesson one - do not hide
Lesson two - there are right ways to fight
And if you have questions
We can talk through the night

So you know who you are
And you know what you want
I've been where you're going
And it's not that far
it's too far to walk
But you don't have to run
you'll get there in time

Lesson three - you're not alone
Not since I saw you start breathing on your own
You can leave, you can run, this
will still be your home

So you know who you are
And you know what you want
I've been where you're going
And it's not that far
it's too far to walk
But you don't have to run
you'll get there in time
Get there in time

In time, to wonder where the days have gone
In time, to be old enough to
wish that you were young
When good things are unraveling,
bad things come undone
You weather love and lose your innocence

There will be liars and
thieves who take from you
Not to undermine the consequence
But you are not what you do
And when you need it most
I have a hundred reasons why I love you

If you weather love and lose your innocence
Just remember - lesson one