Have you ever watched kids
on a merry-go-round
Or listened to the rain
slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last

Do you run through each day on the fly
When you ask "How are you?"
do you hear the reply?
When the day is done,
do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow
And in your haste, not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
'Cause you never had time
to call and say "Hi"?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away...
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Close to the door
  he paused to stand
  as he took his class ring
  off her hand
  all who were watching
  did not speak
  as a silent tear
  ran down his cheek
  and through his mind
  the memories ran
  of the moments they walked
  and laughed in the sand
  but now her eyes were so terrible cold
  for he would never again
  have her to hold
  they watched in silence
  as he bent near
  and whispered the words......
  "I love you" in her ear
  he touched her face and started to cry
  as he put on his ring and wanted to die
  and just then the wind began to blow
  as they lowered her casket
  into the snow....
  this is what happens
  to man alive......
  .....when friends let friends.....
drink and drive.

  Jenny was so happy about the house they had found.
  For once in her life 'twas on the right side of town.
  She unpacked her things with such great ease.
  As she watched her new curtains blow in the breeze.

  How wonderful it was to have her own room.
  School would be starting, she'd have friends over soon.
  There'd be sleep-overs, and parties; she was so happy
  It's just the way she wanted her life to be.

  On the first day of school, everything went great.
  She made new friends and even got a date!
  She thought, "I want to be popular and I'm going to be,
  Because I just got a date with the star of the team!"

  To be known in this school you had to have a clout,
  And dating this guy would sure help her out.
  There was only one problem stopping her fate.
  Her parents had said she was too young to date.

  "Well, I just won't tell them the entire truth.
  They won't know the difference; what's there to lose?"
  Jenny asked to stay with her friends that night.
  Her parents frowned but said, "All right."

  Excited, she got ready for the big event
  But as she rushed around like she had no sense,
  She began to feel guilty about all the lies,
  But what's a pizza, a party, and a moonlight ride?
  Well the pizza was good, and the party was great,
  But the moonlight ride would have to wait.
  For Jeff was half drunk by this time
  But he kissed her and said that he was just fine.

  Then the room filled with smoke and Jeff took a puff.
  Jenny couldn't believe he was smoking that stuff.
  Now Jeff was ready to ride to the point
  But only after he'd smoked another joint.

  They jumped in the car for the moonlight ride,
  Not thinking that he was too drunk to drive.
  They finally made it to the point at last,
  And Jeff started trying to make a pass.

  A pass is not what Jenny wanted at all
  (and by a pass, I don't mean playing football).
  "Perhaps my parents were right....maybe I am too young.
  Boy, how could I ever, ever be so dumb."

  With all of her might, she pushed Jeff away:
  "Please take me home, I dont want to stay."
  Jeff cranked up the engine and floored the gas.
  In a matter of seconds they were going too fast.

  As Jeff drove on in a fit of wild anger,
  Jenny knew that her life was in danger.
  She begged and pleaded for him to slow down,
  But he just got faster as they neared the town.

  "Just let me get home!  I'll confess that I lied.
  I really went out for a moonlight ride."
  Then all of a sudden, she saw a big flash.
  "Oh God, Please help us!  We're going to crash!"

  She doesn't remember the force of impact.
  Just that everything all of a sudden went black.
  She felt someone remove her from the twisted rubble,
  And heard, "Call an ambulance!  These kids are in trouble!"

  Voices she heard....a few words at best.
  But she knew there were two cars involved in the wreck.
  Then wondered to herself if Jeff was all right,
  And if the people in the other car were alive.
  She awoke in the hospital to faces so sad.
  "You've been in a wreck and it looks pretty bad."
  These voices echoed inside her head,
  As they gently told her that Jeff was dead.

  They said "Jenny, we've done all we can do.
  But it looks as if we'll lose you too."
  "But the people in the other car!?" Jenny cried.
  "We're sorry, Jenny, they also died."
  Jenny prayed, "God, forgive me for what I've done
  I only wanted to have just one night of fun."
  "Tell those people's family, I've made their lives dim,
  And wish I could return their families to them."
  "Tell Mom and Dad I'm sorry I lied,
  And that it's my fault so many have died.
  Oh, nurse, won't you please tell them that for me?"
  The nurse just stood there ~ she never agreed.
  But took Jenny's hand with tears in her eyes
  And a few moments later Jenny died.
  A man asked the nurse, "Why didn't you do your best
  To bid that girl her one last request?"

  She looked at the man with eyes oh so sad.
  "Because the people in the other car were her mom and dad."

Red roses were her favorites, her name was also Rose.
         And every year her husband sent them, tied with pretty bows.
The year he died, the roses were delivered to her door.
The card said, "Be my Valentine", like all the years before.
Each year he sent her roses, and the note would always say,
"I love you even more this year, than last year on this day.
My love for you will always grow, with every passing year."
She knew this was the last time that the roses would appear.
She thought, he ordered roses in advance before this day.

Her loving husband did not know, that he would pass away.
He always liked to do things early, way before the time.
Then, if he got too busy, everything would work out fine.
She trimmed the stems, and placed them in a very special vase.
Then, sat the vase beside the portrait of his smiling face.
She would sit for hours, in her husband's favorite chair.
While staring at his picture, and the roses sitting there.
A year went by, and it was hard to live without her mate.
With loneliness and solitude, that had become her fate.

Then, the very hour, as on Valentines before,
The doorbell rang, and there were roses, sitting by her door.
She brought the roses in, and then just looked at them in shock.
Then, went to get the telephone, to call the florist shop.
The owner answered, and she asked him, if he would explain,
Why would someone do this to her, causing her such pain?

"I know your husband passed away, more than a year ago,"
The owner said, "I knew you'd call, and you would want to know.
The flowers you received today, were paid for in advance.
Your husband always planned ahead, he left nothing to chance.
There is a standing order, that I have on file down here,
And he has paid, well in advance, you'll get them every year.
There also is another thing, that I think you should know,
He wrote a special little card...he did this years ago.
Then, should ever I find out that he's no longer here,
That's the card...that should be sent, to you the following year."

 She thanked him and hung up the phone, her tears now flowing hard.
Her fingers shaking, as she slowly reached to get the card.
Inside the card, she saw that he had written her a note.
Then, as she stared in total silence, this is what he wrote...

"Hello my love, I know it's been a year since I've been gone,
 I hope it hasn't been too hard for you to overcome.
 I know it must be lonely, and the pain is very real.
For if it was the other way, I know how I would feel.
 The love we shared made everything so beautiful in life.
 I loved you more than words can say, you were the perfect wife.
You were my friend and lover, you fulfilled my every need.
 I know it's only been a year, but please try not to grieve.
  I want you to be happy, even when you shed your tears.
That is why the roses will be sent to you for years.
When you get these roses, think of all the happiness,
 That we had together, and how both of us were blessed.
I have always loved you and I know I always will.
But, my love, you must go on, you have some living still.
 Please...try to find happiness, while living out your days.
 I know it is not easy, but I hope you find some ways.
The roses will come every year, and they will only stop,
When your door's not answered, when the florist stops to knock.
He will come five times that day, in case you have gone out.
But after his last visit, he will know without a doubt,
To take the roses to the place, where I've instructed him,
And place the roses where we are, together once again.

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;
If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And—which is more—you'll be a Man, my son!

Your laws ignore our deepest needs,
Your words are empty air.
You've stripped away our heritage,
You've outlawed simple prayer.
Now gunshots fill our classrooms,
And precious children die.
You seek for answers everywhere,
And ask the question "Why?"
You regulate restrictive laws,
Through legislative creed.
And yet you fail to understand,
That God is what we need!
 
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