Story Behind The Song

I wrote this song for my parents for their 60th wedding anniversary. I wanted to give them something memorable and from the heart, and since they had supported my music training since I was 5 years old, I felt nothing could be more personal than the gift of song. We had a huge family reunion to celebrate their anniversary, and I surprised them with a local artist who performed the song in front of them.

Song Description

This song comes from the perspective of a mother of grown children expressing to her own parents, "Now that I've raised my own children, I finally 'get it!'" It describes the full scope of emotions that come with motherhood - the indescribable love, joy, pain, sorrow, frustration - as well as the realization that everything a mother says or does affects the child's development and view of the world. In the chorus, the mother is basically saying, "If I knew as a child what I learned as a parent, I would have been so much more grateful back then."

Lyrics

Till I Had Children of My Own


Till I had children of my own,
I never understood the bond
Between a mother and her child,
The magic in a baby's smile.
Never understood the peace that comes from watching children sleeping,
Or a mother's plaintive prayer for their safekeeping.

Till I had children of my own,
I never understood the power
Of every word and every deed,
Like a thousand seeds we plant into their hearts.
Never knew my greatest lessons would be learned right here at home
Till I had children of my own.

Had I known, I would have shown you more compassion.
Had I known, I would have thanked you every day.
Had I known, I would have made some other choices,
But, like you, I had to find my way.

Till I had children of my own,
I never understood the pain
That comes with letting go,
For mothers know they're going to leave one day.
Never knew a parent is forever, even when a child is grown,
Till I had children, those precious children,
Till I had children of my own.