Starting Over

(Vibe: “Starting Over” — renewal; twist: soldier restarting life post-deployment)Tone: Gentle, emotional, healing**
Verse 1
I packed the past in a cardboard box,Labeled it “pain” with a Sharpie mark.Loaded it up in the back of my Ford,Shut that chapter with a quiet chord.Drove past places I used to break,Ghosts waving back with every mistake.But there’s a sunrise waiting down the road—A place where hope might lighten the load.
Verse 2
Got a job lined up at the hardware store,A little apartment with a creaky floor.My girl’s been patient through every storm,Says, “Baby, you’re better than what’s been worn.”We paint the walls, hang up our dreams,Make a home from fragile seams.Starting over ain’t clean or fast,But it’s the best damn shot I’ve had.
Pre-Chorus
New life grows slow,But it grows where you choose to go.
Chorus
Starting over with scars and hope,Walking a brand-new learning slope.Every step hurts, every breath is bold—Healing ain’t young, but it sure ain’t old.Yeah, starting over is the story I wroteWith scars… and hope.
Bridge
You can’t rewrite what’s done and gone—But you can choose the road you’re on.

* Instruments: Acoustic, mandolin, soft harmonies, gentle percussion