The Girl Who Waited

You were nine when he disappeared With a suitcase full of someone

else’s years You stood by the window,

holding your breath

Learning too young what it meant to miss You thought if you

were quieter, he might come back If you grew up faster,

you could fill the cracks But no little girl should have to

understand Why a father lets go of her hand

And I wish I could go back in time Find you waiting

underneath that light Tell you,

“None of this is yours to bear You were loved,

even when he wasn’t there”

Oh, the girl who waited is still living in you

Counting every promise that never came true She wonders what she did,

why he had to leave

But I hope my love is loud enough to make her believe

You were never too much,

never hard to hold

Never something broken, never something old He was the one who left

But you were the one left hurting And I’ll stay until the

tears stop falling

I’ve seen you turn your pain into a smile

Tell everyone you’re fine,

stay strong for a while

But strength is not pretending that it doesn’t ache

And you don’t have to hide each heartache

There are nights when the past comes through And every empty room

still sounds like you The child you were still whispers his name

Still hoping love might answer the same

You can grieve the father you deserved The birthday calls,

the words unheard You can miss him

and still let go You can love the child you used to

know

And when you look into the mirror tonight Please see more than

the girl he left behind

See every battle, every scar,

every song See the beautiful soul that kept going on

Oh, the girl who waited

doesn’t have to wait anymore

She can close that little window,

she can open another door She may never get the answers she

was owed

But she doesn’t have to walk this road alone You were never

too much, never hard to hold

Never something broken, never something old He was the one who left

But you are still here,

still burning And I’ll love you

until the tears stop falling

So cry for the years you had to hide Cry

for the little girl who stood outside Then take her hand and

bring her home

She’s not abandoned

She’s not alone