Not the Way It Had To Be

Lyrics

[Intro]
Look at what we built here, look at what we've done
Three daughters and a life beneath this sun
Hard years and good years, and I wouldn't trade a one
Look at what we built here, look at what we've done

[Verse 1]
You came to me with your eyes wide open
Said it's time, said let's build something real
I almost let my fear speak for me
I'd seen enough to know what I was scared to feel

My parents' house was quiet in the wrong way
My friends were drowning somewhere in their lawns
I thought that's just the way that love turns out to be —
Silent noons and all those angry dawns

[Chorus]
But you showed me that's not the way it had to be
We raised our girls, built our life, you and me
We had our hard years, had our share of nights
But baby, we turned on the lights
And this — this is the way it should be

[Verse 2]
We had the years when money kept us honest
And years when words came out the wrong way hard
There were nights I know we both were wondering
If love could hold the weight of all those scars

But you never let the lights go all the way out
You'd find me in the dark and hold on tight
Our girls were watching everything we did
And we showed them love is worth the fight

[Chorus 2]
And you showed me that's not the way it had to be
We raised our girls, built our life, you and me
We had our hard years, had our share of nights
But baby, we turned on the lights
And this — this is the way it should be

[Bridge]
I was so afraid
You have no idea how afraid I was
I had seen what love becomes
When people stop choosing each other

But you kept choosing me
Every hard year, every quiet night
You kept choosing me

And I want you to know —
I chose you too
I'd choose you again
I'll choose you again

[Final Chorus]
And you showed me that's not the way it had to be
We raised three daughters, built this life, you and me
We had our hard years, Lord we had some nights
But baby — we turned on the lights

I used to hear it wrong, I used to be afraid
I thought love was the price that everyone gets paid
But you gave me something no one told me I could have —
You gave me the way it should be
You gave me the way it should be

[Outro]
Look at what we built here…
Look at what we've done…