All Summer Long

(Vibe: “All Summer Long” — nostalgia; twist: summer as a recovery season)Tone: Sunny, hopeful, reflective**
Verse 1
June came hot with a gentle breeze,First one I felt without feeling unease.Neighbors fixing boats on the lake,Kids makin' castles they’ll later break.I sat on the dock with a beer in hand,Felt my heartbeat sync with the land.After years of sand and camouflage heat,This summer sun tasted bittersweet.
Verse 2
July rolled in with fireworks loud,Made me flinch in the middle of the crowd.But your hand in mine pulled me back to shore,And I wasn’t shaking quite like before.Fishing poles out, baseball caps low—Healing slow like a tide's soft flow.I laughed again, first time in years—Sounded strange, but it cleared the gears.
Pre-Chorus
Some seasons break you; some restore—Summer’s doing both and a little more.
Chorus
All summer long I heal,Letting the sunlight teach me how to feel.Every warm night, every slow day,Takes a little more of the pain away.I ain’t fixed, but damn, it’s real—I’m learning how to heal…All summer long.
Bridge
By August’s end, I might just beA version of me that feels like me.

* Tools: Acoustic, warm electric, shakers, light snare, fiddle flourishes