Letters Through the Smoke

“Hey kid…

You ain’t staying innocent forever…”

⸻

I still got dirt on my shoes from younger days

Still believe good hearts don’t fade away

Momma told me keep faith in my chest

Didn’t know life could turn love into stress

I still dream with my head in the clouds

Still think forever means forever now

I don’t know betrayal, don’t know goodbye

Don’t know how grown men break and still smile

Tell me old man, do we survive?

Do the demons leave when we fight all night?

Do we find real love?

Do we heal inside?

Or does growing up just teach you how to hide?

⸻

Kid, sit down

There’s things you need to hear

Life ain’t gentle

And pain don’t disappear

⸻

You’re gonna lose people you swore would stay

Smile through hurt while your soul decays

Carry the world with a cracked-up spine

Look in the mirror and ask “Who am I?”

You’re gonna bleed where nobody sees

Fight silent wars that bring men to knees

But don’t let darkness steal your flame

After all the hurt…

You still won’t change

⸻

You’ll grow up fast, faster than planned

Trust fake people that don’t understand

Break your back for loyalty and love

Then watch ‘em leave when life gets rough

There’ll be nights parked under city lights

Hands on the wheel trying not to cry

Music too loud just to numb your brain

Thinking “How much can one soul take?”

You’ll become the strong one everybody needs

While nobody notices you can’t breathe

You’ll give and give ‘til nothing remains

Still say “I’m good” while drowning in pain

And love…

Yeah kid, love gets cold too

You’ll hold someone tight while they slowly undo you

But don’t hate your heart for the scars it earns

Even burned hands still reach for warmth

⸻

So heroes fall apart for real?

All this hurt we gotta feel?

Tell me something good survives

Tell me we don’t just barely stay alive

⸻

Nah… listen close

There’s still reasons to stay

A child laughing in the backseat

Dogs running through the hallway

Late-night drives with songs that heal

Sunrises after nights that almost killed you

And one day you’ll realize

Your scars became somebody else’s hope

⸻

Yeah you’ll lose people you swore would stay

Still wake up and face another day

Carry that pain like a rusted chain

But never let it fill you up with hate

You’re gonna break but not completely fall

Strongest souls crack after all

Every scar carved in your name

Proves you survived the flames

⸻

So when life cuts deep

Don’t become what hurt you most

Stay loyal even when betrayed

Stay soft in a world gone cold

And kid…

One day you’ll thank yourself

For not giving up

“We made it…”