I Should've Spent The Day With My Family

(album: The Third Gleam - 2020)

I woke up very early like I tend to do most days
Gathered up my clothes, my watch, and pocket knife
It would be almost an hour before the sun would show it's face
And I tried to be quiet so as not to wake my wife
Turning on my phone was the first mistake I made
My heart sunk when I read the first headline
There had been another shooting and this time not so far away
And a child who lost his life looked awful lot like mine

I sat there in the dark for I don't know how long
Without the first idea of what to do
I walked into the kitchen and turned the coffee maker on
And stood there feeling hopeless and staring at the moon
And when the house got lively, I was working double time
Scrambling eggs and trying not to cry
Jennifer was getting Isaac dressed and packed for school
I was wondering when God left and why he didn't say goodbye

I should've spent the day with my family
Instead I tried and failed to work all day long
Lord, I should have spend the day with my family
On days like this, they alone make me want to carry on

Throughout the day I kept hearing all the details
Though I didn't check in much but watch the news
Some tragedies you know, they have no explanation
And the word "everything" don't cover what you lose
So I spend the whole day pacing back and forth all by my lonesome
Questioning the point in trying to write a song
And it sure is hard to focus on anything at all
And you can't get something right when everything feels wrong

I should've spent the day with the family
Instead I tried and failed to work all day long
I should've spend the day with family
On days like this they alone make me want to carry on

By sundown I was worn out, no closer to understanding
The evil things that happen every day
My wife and I shared a beer and talked about the future
Agreeing on the fact that we would have to find a way
Though sometimes I don't know how this world continues turning
What has happened will never be undone
But tomorrow I think I'll just try to keep the day wide open
And as much as they will have me, be with people that I love