Traveling…Through Life

Lyrics by Riley Green

I was talking to my friend Nancy the other day about how kids grow up so fast. The conversation had something to do with Jackson becoming a teenager this year and Nancy’s son, Max, heading off for college. I have been hit in the face lately with how fast raising a child happens. You think you have 18 years to raise them, but you look back and realize that 18 years feels like three.

One of my favorite new musicians is Riley Green. He wrote a song that aligns well with my recent thoughts. Technology has changed the way children perceive the world, but this song makes it clear that ultimately, the best things in life have nothing to do with a screen. Although every parent wants to give their children everything, it is the simple things that will mean the most as we travel through life… What if giving them everything means giving them a very simple life?

I wish girls you loved never gave back diamond rings
I wish every porch had a swing
I wish kids learned to say “sir” and “ma’am”, how to shake a hand
I wish every state had a Birmingham

We wish that the best things in life could last forever, but they cannot. This is a hard lesson to learn. Life is about savoring even the simplest moments because often they are what we miss the most.

I wish everybody knew the words to Mama Tried
I wish Monday mornings felt just like Friday nights

As a kid, my family went on vacation every year, but do you know what some of my fondest memories are?

When my mom quit her job one summer, and she would take my brother, Jay and me to Sun Valley Beach and then we would go eat at McDonald’s.

Or when my dad checked me out of school to take Jay and me to the ARCA Races at Hampton Motor Speedway when I was in elementary school. As an educator of 17 years, I promise there was no material that we learned those days I missed in school that would have made it on my BEST memories in life list.

And I wish even cars had truck beds
And every road was named Copperhead
And coolers never run out of cold Bud Light (or Sweet Tea 😉
And I wish high school home teams never lost
And back road drinkin’ kids never got caught
And I wish the price of gas was low and cotton was high
I wish honky tonks didn’t have no closing time
And I wish grandpas never died

Sean’s fondest memories are playing ball with his dad after dinner. His dad coached his little league team, and his mom never missed a game. He would not trade that for anything. Now our memories have shaped the way we raise Jackson and Lucy.

I wish Sunday’s on a creek bank would never end
Wish I could learn to drive again
Wish the first time, seventeen, she was my everything kiss in a Chevrolet could happen every day

I can’t even get started on memories with my grandparents. I wish all kids grew up with grandparents that lived nearby. It gives them such a rich experience and memories that are ingrained in their minds forever.

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I wish everybody overseas was gonna make it home
I wish Country music still got played on Country radio

Traveling through life is Grandma’s perfect dressing at Thanksgiving, helping your neighbor when they need a hand, the first time your kids tell a veteran, “Thank you for your service,” without being told, and Granny’s sweet tea on a Sunday afternoon. Most of all, life is savoring these times with your family.

And I wish even cars had truck beds
And every road was named Copperhead
And coolers never run out of cold Bud Light
And I wish high school home teams never lost
And back road drinkin’ kids never got caught
And I wish the price of gas was low and cotton was high
I wish honky tonks didn’t have no closing time
And I wish grandpas never died

If we don’t live and experience life with our children now, time will pass, and we can’t get it back. That time you spend with your kids is what they will remember when they are older, not video games or iPhones.

And I wish good dogs never got grey and old
I wish farms never got sold

In our daily quest to make ends meet, we forget that experiences are what we remember. Spend time as a family going on an adventure. Visit a state park and hike the trails. Stop in at Dairy Queen for ice cream on a hot summer night. Savor every moment, because random moments turn into memories that last a lifetime.

And I wish even cars had truck beds
And every road was named Copperhead
And coolers never run out of cold Bud Light
I wish high school home teams never lost
And back road drinkin’ kids never got caught
And I wish the price of gas was low and cotton was high
I wish honky tonks didn’t have no closing time
And I wish grandpas never died
I wish grandpas never died

Do you have a favorite childhood memory? We would love to hear from you. Please drop us a line in the comment section below!

Have you been reflecting on life lately? Check out I Miss Mayberry and How to Build a Better Boat!