Story Behind the Song

While watching the nightly news one evening, a reporter started a story about another soldier who had recently died. I had seen this type of news report before over the past few months but this one grabbed my attention. The reporter was conducting an interview with the fallen soldier's father. Up to that point I had never seen the effect a soldier's death had on his/her family. I imagined it, but never saw it first-hand. In the past it had always been just another soldier that I didn't know who had died trying to make this world better for all of us.

Seeing the father's devastation and hearing the pride in his voice as he talked about his son really got to me. Suddenly, I knew more about this soldier and what he was like as a person, how much he loved being a soldier and helping people and how hard it would be to let him go for his family. My eyes welled-up as I thought of everyone I cared about in my life and what it would be like to lose them. How hard it would be to go on knowing they wouldn't be there to talk to any more.

That week my wife and I just happened to be taking care of our 2 nephews while their parents were on vacation. The boys were 5 and 3 years old at that time. Caring for the boys was our introduction to having a family of our own someday. Taking care of these 2 boys full time for 5 days gave me a small taste of what the connection could be between a father and his son. The bond I made with our two nephews that week is another reason I think the story about the fallen soldier hit me so hard. I sat down and wrote this song immediately after the news story was finished.

This song is dedicated to all the families who have lost a loved one in battle.

--Aaron Lines