Castles of Sand

Backstory

This song is based on conversations I had with a dear friend of mine before he passed away last year. Then, after the song was finished, I saw the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” for the first time and I was surprised to see a quote on the wall of one of the scenes that was so similar to the last few lines in this song. And George Bailey, the protagonist in the movie, reminded me so much of that same friend too. Kind, humble, funny, principled, loyal and so full of love for his friends and family.

Lyrics

I climbed a mountain.
11,014 steps
But hey who's counting
Who's counting

I rolled that boulder
Up every switchback to the top
Led with my shoulder
Man, I got older

We build castles of sand
Then, with wringing of hands
Watch the tide come and take them away

And I spent so much of my time
Clutching at sand that was never mine
And wasting this finite and beautiful life

Above that ocean
I dried my eyes
And let subside
My raw emotion

I watched that coast and
Saw love and wisdom
In those waves
Of endless motion

We build castles of sand
And we don't understand
When the tide comes to take them away 


And I spent so much of my time
Clutching at sand in the rising tide
And wasting this otherwise beautiful life

We only get to take
The love we gave along the way

We only get to save
The love we give away

And though we try to keep
Our crumbling kingdoms from the deep


We only get to take
The love we give away