The story behind this song
Life said "later" twenty years ago — a job that couldn't wait, kids who couldn't either. So the homework happened at the same table as theirs, one lamp between the chairs, spelling tests beside term papers. Night class after day shift, dinner from a thermos on chapter twenty-nine, the youngest face in the carpool line and the oldest in the lecture hall. The kids called it brave. She called it Tuesday.
For the friend who picked the dream back up at forty and finished what life paused — right on time, it turns out.
Lyrics
Twenty years between two semesters
But you never dropped the dream
But you never dropped the dream
You did your homework at the table where the kids did theirs
Spelling tests and term papers, one lamp between the chairs
Youngest in the carpool line, oldest in the class
You raised your hand at forty — that takes a kind of brass
Spelling tests and term papers, one lamp between the chairs
Youngest in the carpool line, oldest in the class
You raised your hand at forty — that takes a kind of brass
Life said "later," then kept talking
You finally said "now"
You finally said "now"
Diploma at forty — wear it like a medal, friend
You finished what life paused, you picked the story up again
The kids saw every late night, they learned what trying means
Diploma at forty
Right on time, it seems
You finished what life paused, you picked the story up again
The kids saw every late night, they learned what trying means
Diploma at forty
Right on time, it seems
Night class after day shift, parking lot at nine
Eating dinner from a thermos on chapter twenty-nine
The professors called you "ma'am," the kids there called you brave
You called it Tuesday, hung your coat, and turned another page
Eating dinner from a thermos on chapter twenty-nine
The professors called you "ma'am," the kids there called you brave
You called it Tuesday, hung your coat, and turned another page
Some finish in four years
You finished in spite of twenty
You finished in spite of twenty
Diploma at forty — wear it like a medal, friend
You finished what life paused, you picked the story up again
The kids saw every late night, they learned what trying means
Diploma at forty
Right on time, it seems
You finished what life paused, you picked the story up again
The kids saw every late night, they learned what trying means
Diploma at forty
Right on time, it seems
Your daughter wrote her college essay on the bravest one she knows
It wasn't some celebrity
It was you, at the kitchen table, refusing to let go
It wasn't some celebrity
It was you, at the kitchen table, refusing to let go
Diploma at forty — wear it like a medal, friend
You finished what life paused, you picked the story up again
The kids saw every late night, they learned what trying means
Diploma at forty
Right on time, it seems
You finished what life paused, you picked the story up again
The kids saw every late night, they learned what trying means
Diploma at forty
Right on time, it seems
Hang it by the kitchen lamp
Where the work got done
Where the work got done
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