Pedal Steel
Stephen Kellogg Lyrics

The whole ride home I thought about your life
As I was driving home, all I could think about was your story and what you've been through.

How you were just nineteen when you took a wife
I can't imagine what it must have been like to get married at such a young age.

Thought of a young man, landing in France
I pictured you as a young soldier, landing in a foreign country far away from home.

Braver then me, the first to show up at the dance
You were always braver than I could ever be, especially when you were the first to step forward during difficult times.

I thought what you told me that night in Berlin
I couldn't help but remember the wise words you shared with me when we were in Berlin together.

How you may lose, but there's no way you'll win
You explained to me that sometimes you may not succeed, but giving up is never an option.

About leaving your country when you were just ten
I remember how you shared with me the story of leaving your home country at such a young age.

You came to Wisconsin and they let you in
You managed to find a place in a new country and build a life for yourself.

My feels like a Pedal Steel
My heart is heavy and full of emotion, like the sound of a pedal steel guitar.

My knows what is real
I trust my instincts and my sense of reality.

Of all of the books that you told me to read
You recommended so many great books for me to read and learn from.

Here's my little secret if you'd stay and won't leave
I have a secret that I only feel comfortable sharing with you, and I hope you won't leave before I get the chance.

You left me your shirts, a belt buckle of pearl
You left me some of your belongings, which I cherish as a symbol of your impact on my life.

A legacy for me and my girl
Your influence will live on not just for me, but for my daughter as well.

In this whole crazy life, so big and so small
Life can be both overwhelming and insignificant at the same time.

There's so much to enjoy, but you can't do it all
There are endless possibilities for happiness, but it's impossible to experience everything.

So you start everyday with a choice to decide
You have to make a conscious decision each day about how you'll approach and experience life.

You think of the others who've lived and who've died
Remembering those who came before us can put our own struggles and triumphs into perspective.

And you pray you'll take as much away
You hope to learn and grow as much as possible from each experience.

You'll have lived it as well at the end of the day
If you can say that you've truly lived each day to the fullest, that's all that matters.

Of all of the things I remember
So many memories of our time together flood my mind.

So many times to be missed
There were many moments that I wish we could relive and enjoy once more.

In the end with a wink and a wave
Even at the end of our time together, you had a smile and a wave for me.

The old man just blew me a kiss
You may have been old, but your love and warmth never faded.

Maybe if he'd had a son,
Perhaps if you had a son of your own,

things might have been different somehow
It could have had an impact on the course of both our lives.

Maybe I wouldn't have known you,
I may never have had the pleasure of meeting you,

and I wouldn't feel so fucked up now
And I wouldn't be struggling with these complicated emotions.

Maybe if I do my best, if I do everything I can do
If I put my all into everything I do,

I'll consider my life a success if I'm anything like you
I'll be proud if I can model my life after your example and character.