Dear Self
By Susan Nagle
Dear Self
Lyrics By: Susan Nagle
Verse 1:
Dear Self, remember growing up, when life felt simple?
Neighbors were kind, and the world felt wide.
No screens to keep us inside—just scraped knees and laughter.
Bullies weren’t lurking in the halls—just kids finding their way.
Chorus:
Time won’t wait—it moves like the wind,
One day you're young, the next you’re looking back again.
I thought I had forever, thought I had control,
Now I wonder—was I chasing life, or watching it unfold?
Verse 2:
Dear Self, turning 21, feeling grown and free,
Raising glasses high, chasing luck at the casino.
No one warned you that darkness lingers,
Yet you whispered to yourself, I got this.
Verse 3:
Dear Self, suddenly, you have a spouse, then a family—
Oh man, could life get any better?
But shadows creep in, through drink or through escape,
You need help, yet still, you whisper I got this.
Chorus:
Time won’t wait—it moves like the wind,
One day you're young, the next you’re looking back again.
I thought I had forever, thought I had control,
Now I wonder—was I chasing life, or watching it unfold?
Verse 4:
Dear Self, time speeds up—your child walks that stage.
How much did you miss, lost in the grind?
Your spouse is gone, with someone else—
Life became work...when did that happen?
Verse 5:
Dear Self, losing a parent—what is this heartbreak?
You wanted to grow old, never knowing sorrow came with it.
Bills pile up, time slips away—where did the good days go?
Tell me, how do others carry the weight of growing old?
Chorus:
Time won’t wait—it moves like the wind,
One day you're young, the next you’re looking back again.
I thought I had forever, thought I had control,
Now I wonder—was I chasing life, or watching it unfold?
Verse 6:
Dear Self, now they say I’ve worked enough—time to slow down.
A lifetime traded for a check that barely stretches.
They say my memory fades, but I remember—
It feels like yesterday when life was perfect.
Final Chorus:
Time won’t wait—it moves like the wind,
One day you're young, the next you’re looking back again.
I thought I had forever, thought I had control,
Now I wonder—was I chasing life, or watching it unfold?
© 2025 Susan Nagle. All rights reserved.
