Life has a way of speeding by. One minute, you are young, full of dreams and convinced you have all the time in the world. Then, almost without noticing, the years have slipped away. The clock never stops, and neither does life. Somewhere along the way, we begin to realize that some of the things we've always wanted to do are still sitting there, waiting for us. For me, that dream has always been music.
I have been writing songs for years, quietly keeping them to myself. I guess you could call me a closet musician. Music was always a part of who I was, but sharing it with the world was another story. There was always that little voice telling me I was not ready, that maybe people would not like what I had written or how I sounded. And so, like so many people do with their dreams, I kept putting it off. But eventually, something changed. I started thinking about how much time I had already spent worrying about what other people might think. And I realized something pretty simple: the fear of criticism is nothing compared to the regret of never trying.
So I finally decided to take the leap. My first song, Promise Me, is about hope, commitment, and the promises we make to ourselves and the people we love. You and Me celebrates that special connection between two people, the kind of love that makes everything else in life seem a little less important. Then came Hold My Breath, a song about losing someone you loved deeply and living with the painful realization that maybe you never showed them just how much they meant to you. Sometimes life gets in the way. We take people for granted, believing there will always be another day, another conversation, another chance to say what we are feeling. And then suddenly, that opportunity is gone. All that's left are the memories, the things we wish we would have done differently, and the overwhelming desire to have that person back, even for just a moment.
There is a line in the song that captures that feeling better than I could ever explain it: “If I could only breathe you in, I'd hold my breath and never breathe again.” It's about loving someone so much that, if you could experience their presence just one more time, you would never want that moment to end.
And now there is Mirror. Of all the songs I have written, Mirror is perhaps the most personal. Losing my father changed the way I looked at so many things, including myself. There is something about getting older and catching your reflection in the mirror, only to realize you are beginning to see the face of the man who raised you. His expressions, his mannerisms, even the little things you never noticed growing up. Suddenly, there he is, looking back at you. That realization became the inspiration for Mirror, a song about fathers and sons, love, loss, forgiveness, and the understanding that sometimes takes a lifetime to find. It is about the things we wish we would have said, the moments we wish we could revisit, and the people who remain part of us long after they are gone. And perhaps the most difficult realization of all was knowing that my father would never truly understand something I have come to believe with all my heart: Love is the one thing in life that you never lose by giving it away. In fact, the more love you give, the more you have.
When I think about these four songs, I realize they are all connected in ways I never originally intended. Each one represents something I have experienced, something I have learned, or something I have needed to say. They are more than recordings to me. They are little pieces of my life, set to music. Working with Matthew Shad and the talented people who have helped bring these songs to life has made this journey even more rewarding. Through Crimson Star Records, I have finally been able to share music that, for so many years, existed only in my head, on my guitar, or in the pages of a notebook.
I don't know where this musical journey will ultimately take me, and that's okay. What matters is that I finally started. If one of my songs brings back a memory, makes someone smile, or helps someone through a difficult moment, then every bit of this journey has been worth it. So here is what I have learned: whatever dream you are been holding onto, don't keep waiting for the perfect moment. It may never come. Write that book. Take that trip. Start that business. Pick up that guitar. Tell someone you love them while you still have the chance.
Life moves quickly, and none of us knows how much time we have left. But there's still time to do something meaningful with the time we've been given. I am grateful I finally found the courage to share my music. And with Mirror, I feel like I am sharing a little more of myself than ever before…a lot of love.
The clock won't stop. But neither should our dreams.
Chris Green
Singer, Songwriter | Crimson Star Records
