When I Think of You

When I Think of You – Daniel Carter, composer

Vocal solo for medium range voice and piano expressing gratitude for parents from a perspective of becoming one. Especially suitable for Mother’s and Father’s Day. Composer Daniel Carter wrote this song after a conversation with his daughter who said to him on his birthday, “I just want you to know I get it. I understand now what it means to be a parent, to worry, to love, to make everything in your life about your children. And I can’t thank you and love you enough for what you’ve done.”

When I was just a child you sat and read to me,
And told me I could do most anything,
Told me be anything that my heart could dream.
It made me smile.

And so I grew and learned, and as I claimed my life,
My stubborn will divided you and I,
And all those words we said were sometimes filled with strife,
And we would cry.

Sunny days could turn to rainy days
When I would storm around when I didn’t get my way.
Sunny days along with rainy days
Can give new meaning to our lives and reason for our ways.

The little notes you wrote that brought those happy smiles,
The pranks you pulled denying all the while,
The endless times that I thought I knew better than you,
How wrong I…

I understand now the sacrifice you made,
How hard it was to do all of the things you did.
I understand now how easy hurt is dealt,
How slow the healing till no more sting is felt.

And when I think of you, I think of sunny days,
The kind that come when rain has gone away,
The kind like when you kissed my tears away,
Those days I…

I understand now how blessed and loved I am.
Those little words we say,
So overused but they are true,
Those little words—I love you.

daniel carter’s bio:                          more works by daniel carter: