When the Old Recall What They Have Learned When the old recall what they have learned The hard way and all of the scars they have earned You may hear us speak with gratitude With a surprisingly hopeful attitude Surviving all that arriving now Still wondering and yet understanding how We got better by our getting through A lot when we got a sense of humor too Because this is now and that was then We will never make the same mistakes again Whatever it takes those who go on Are those who chose to let go of what is gone Had to let it go to get it straight Glad to get it over with before too late Now to enjoy what is left of it After all when now is all we ever get When the old recall what they have learned Riding the wheel hanging on as it has turned We surprise ourselves we got this far But then we realize we learned who we are It turned out I had to go through hell To see through to heaven but it turned out well For an unsuccessful suicide Glad after all to come back from having died Maybe the hard way but anyway We learned what we needed to along the way Realizing our reality Making the most of it if belatedly Doing my best for the rest of this Opportunity that is too good to miss I had to get old to know how to Do it but now that I am somehow I do When the old recall what they have learned It was love we earned and our love was returned Though the hard way with all of the scars So I never stopped reaching for falling stars Recalling it now I always say Love is teaching me how to catch one someday Steven Curtis Lance