Time flies

The hall is brightly decorated with garlands,
with flags and flowers and all,
The high school orchestra is playing
some classical stuff that I don’t know
Important people make their speeches
about growing up and the serious side of life
Your mother fingers her ring nervously
then covertly wipes a tear out of her eye
   You’re sitting in the first row with the graduates,
   And I notice you do look great
   Your mother beams with pride and there are tears in her eyes -
   How time flies

Now you’re grown up finally,
Going your own ways, making your own plans – without me
Now you’re grown up finally,
Living your own life, fighting your own fights – without me

Last night I sat down
and took a glass of old wine,
I opened the box with the photographs,
set out to a journey back through time,
There were photos of you,
taken in the maternity ward,
You’re sleeping in your mothers arms,
suckling so peaceful on your fingers so small,
Photos of you with porridge all over your face,
you on the beach collecting shells,
You on your surfboard riding the waves,
you while you‘re playing in the sand with a pail,
You at your first day at school,
you while you jump into a pool,
You guised as an ape on Halloween,
you in the snow on your skies,
You on your bicycle in the driveway,
you with bright eyes on Christmas day
And you last year with your girl in your arm
standing in front of your own car
   And I starred at the photos and pictures rose in my mind’s eye
   And every rising memory made me burst with pride
   And with tears in my eyes I realized
   How time flies

Now you’re grown up finally…..

I remember the day you came into my life,
I remember these feelings of love and pride
But there were also the fears to drop the ball,
a responsibility, till then unknown
We tried to teach you respect for life,
we tried to teach you to stand upright,
Never to fear someone or something
and to avouch the things you do or think.
   Now they call up your name and you enter the stage
   And I see this young man receiving his certificate
   And I beam with pride and there are tears in my eyes –
   How time flies

Now you’re grown up finally…..

May God lead and guard you always,
may you wishes all come true,
May you always be courageous,
may you always see the truth,
May your heart always be joyful
and when it depends may you be strong and tough
And may there always be some good friends
when the winds are blowing rough
   May you live your own life, may you go your own way
   And may you excuse your old man
   When he keeps on trying to intervene with your life
   While time flies.

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