Pastime // Timeline

In May, I started a project to release one original song a month in 2022. I’m only two songs in & I’ve already missed a deadline. Bigtime. #life. But better late than never?

For the 2nd song of this project, I decided to release a song I call Timeline.

Listen Here

It’s essentially the story of my wife, Courtney, & me. The idea for this song came to me around 6 am on our way home from Thanksgiving in Indiana in 2018 (I think). A lot of song ideas come from those drives. Something about long drives that gives me the freedom to get introspective. Or maybe it just forces it?

Anyway, while driving, I had the idea of a song that sort of highlighted the key moments of our now 20-year-long relationship. I wrote down a few notes & forgot about it. I randomly thought about it again a year or so later. I sat down on a Sunday afternoon & started fleshing that idea out.

I recorded a version of this & gave it to Courtney as a Valentine’s day gift in 2021. I wrote in length about the first two lines of this song in this blog, but there are definitely pieces of this song that are almost inside jokes between the two of us (like the fact that I fell asleep during our first date - don’t ask).

Overall, it’s a song about love, relationships, and the ups & downs of marriage. Every relationship has a timeline. Every relationship has inside jokes, stories, good times & bad. I’m not a “no regrets” kind of person. I’ve made mistakes over the years & I do wish I could change some of my choices & the impact they’ve had on those around me. But at the same time, even though there are some things I wish I’d done differently throughout the last 20 years, I’m not sure what I’d change in fear that the butterfly effect would change the life I get to experience with Courtney in 2022.

Well, anyway…here’s Wonderwall…I mean Timeline:

|| Timeline ||

In 2001
You took my picture but I was a coward
who was way out of his league

In 2002
I write you a letter on a paper towel
And so began our journey

In 2003
I gave you a rubber band
I got down on a knee

In 2004
You took my name & I took your hand
living the dream at only 20

In 2005
We ventured out on our own
just us in the bluegrass state

In 2009
Our little family grows & we move back home
and life just seems to accelerate

By 2013
We’re a family a five
living that minivan life

I can’t imagine a better timeline
than the one where you said yes
to being my wife

Of course things haven't been perfect
but i wouldn't alter the slightest thing
in fear that it would disturb this timeline & current reality

I know all this multiverse talk
sure doesn't sound romantic
but let's not pretend
like this story has been anything other than enchanted

It started with a sharpie
And a paper towel
The odds were surely not in my favor

But look at this life
That we’ve built now
Thanks for looking past my early behavior

Not sure what you saw in me
Surely not the hat and cut off slacks
Thanks for putting up with the knee high socks and first date nap

I’m not sure what made you wanna stick around
but I’m sure glad you did
because i can’t imagine
anything better than this
No i can't imagine anything better than this

its 2021 now
the world’s a mess
It’s a full-blown pandemic

Still I’m in love with that girl I met
All those years ago
I’ll never forget it