What it Means to be in Love

Just because we're different

doesn't mean you've got to hate me

just because we're different

doesn't mean I've got to hate you

I am the woman I grew up to be

and your the man that you grew into

On the way to raising me

Lots of pain, and lots of tears

lots of broken promises

Lots of hopes and fears

But if I don't try to see you

and you don't try to see me

if we don't sit down

and try to get perspective

we both lose

we both lose

Cause I'm the little blond girl

you loved so dearly

whose not so little any more

and I'm sorry I grew up angry

But that's not all I have in store

and maybe I am different,

even in the best light

from everything you thought that I would be

But I'm still me, and when I look you

torn and hurt as I may be

I'm covered by a flood of happy memories

Just you and I, we sat out for so many hours

rowing on the lake until your legs turned red

but the truth was it didn't matter

'cause we were there together, side by side

and I didn't have to know what you were going through

to be there cause I am your daughter and I love you

in the dark places just like in the light

I haven't done a good job all the time

The fault for that is mine

And as for all the guilt you carried all the what if only's

Well here's what there is

beauty to be found here if you look

maybe we're not well equipped for truth

And I know I have a daughter who you love like all the world

and I know I have a daughter who saved my whole world

And yes we love differently

but I hope we love her just the same

Because she's her, for who she can be, will be, who she is

and if we love each other

we will teach her what love is

so know I love you Daddy

I still want to hold your hand

Remember what your mother said

and I promise I will too

Your a daddy or mommy

not for ten years or twenty two

but for life

And I still want to be here,

despite all the strife

When I look in my girl's brown eyes

theres one thing I hope she knows

no matter how deep the water gets,

no matter where she goes. even when she sins,

even if she lies, even if she hurts herself,

or tries to take a life; even if she's an astronaut,

a republican or born again,

and thinks my soul will burn hell

I will accept her, and love her, and give her all I can

Because I can, because I love her,

that's what moms are for 

I always had faith that you would be there

that you would love me to the core

but some where in this mess you lost sight of me

and thought I was some kind of changeling

but the daughter who got sick with sadness

the daughter that ran away

is the same girl that came back again

and she came back again to stay

and she could have moved on,

to California or Oregon

but she stays in this hard dry land

to be with her father, who she loves,

even when it hurts