From the recording Sparrows
Story
A very old woman and I "adopted" each other. I knew her only 3 years before she passed. We'd spend an hour or two, sipping tea at her kitchen table every few days, and I'd listen to her talk about her life, her thoughts on aging, her regrets, her triumphs and her dreams, both realized and unfulfilled. I learned many things from her and I'm very grateful to have known her. This song was inspired by my wise friend with her youthful spirit and based on my own observations of people as they get older and adapt their lives based on newly gained perspectives along the way.
Lyrics
Take What You Can
(c) 2003, Serina Jung
forever, togetherness, bliss
common delusions of love
but she'd been naive and believed once
love could be enough
now she thoughtfully pauses to stare
at her face so familiar, so changed
she vowed long ago she would leave him one day
but she stayed
time can be spiteful
its lessons learned too late
take what you can while you can
grab it and fly
while your heart can still pump
your legs can still run
don't worry too much if it's right or it's wrong
defeat marks the curve of her spine
and nightly, regret makes her bed
her tongue is silenced by too many
things left unsaid
tomorrow will bring her
bitter and cynical, grave, critical dread
take what you can while you can
take what you can while you can
while your heart can still pump
your legs can still run
don't worry too much
if it's right or it's wrong
take what you can while you can
grab it and fly
run, don't look behind
be selfish this time
take what you can while you can