"A Life" lyrics

I stand adjacent a fountain in college
Michelle leaves a class and starts heading for home
I tap her shoulder to make something happen
The next thing I know we're swimming in all of our clothes

We get to talking, she loves conversation
She can go hours with a new things to say
I tell her I'd like to be on the force
She asks to take me to dinner and says she insists that she pays
Time goes by and by
Strange how you swim in a fountain
And end up with a life

We buy a house in the heart of the suburbs
We spend a few years just circling lines
'Chelle always dreams of flying and traveling
I say that I would, too, we have plenty of time

We were both so small
Didn't have any money, so we thought
Why not Niagara Falls?
I was so young, I was so young, I was so young
And we were so alive, so alive, so alive

I work on the force and move up through the ranks
I make detective, in a few years I had
Michelle is elated, she sells a painting
And gives me a gift, she says my new name is Dad

Sam was so very small
Wanted her to start to see the world
So we thought, why not Niagara Falls?
Hayley was so very small
Building a family, we thought
Let's take them to Niagara Falls

I was so young, I was so young, I was so young
And we were so alive, so alive, we were so alive
I was so young, I was so young, I was so young
And we were so alive, so alive, we were so alive

Think of the trips we would take as a kid
Think of the painting that Mom chose to give
Look at the waterfalls, look at the rapids
Mom wanted you to remember, move on, and forgive

She's gone, gone, gone, gone, gone
It wasn't you at all
Mom must have wanted you to let go and come to Niagara Falls