Verse 1
I was born with dust on my boots,
California sun in my eyes,
Paradise was more than a town,
It was the place I learned to fly.
I was young, wild, half on fire,
Chasing anything that burned,
Made some messes, made some miracles,
Lost some roads and took some turns.
Chorus
But I’m still riding toward the light,
Still got thunder in my name,
I’ve been broken, I’ve been blessed,
I’ve walked through loss and flame.
I’ve got stories in my hands,
I’ve got code inside my bones,
I’ve been lonely, I’ve been loved,
But I was never really gone.
And when the hard years start to fade,
I hear my own heart say:
BOOM, old man — you’re alive today.
Verse 2
I learned the language of machines
Back when computers filled a room,
Turned my mind into a compass,
Built a future out of gloom.
I raised a daughter, carried burdens,
Didn’t always get it right,
But love still leaves a lantern
Burning somewhere in the night.
Chorus
And I’m still riding toward the light,
Still got thunder in my name,
I’ve been broken, I’ve been blessed,
I’ve walked through loss and flame.
I’ve got stories in my hands,
I’ve got code inside my bones,
I’ve been lonely, I’ve been loved,
But I was never really gone.
And when the hard years start to fade,
I hear my own heart say:
BOOM, old man — you’re alive today.
Bridge
I’ve seen women disappear like sunsets,
I’ve seen friends become ghosts in the rain,
I’ve held a teddy bear older than memory,
And a cat who knew my pain.
I’ve slept in places I don’t brag about,
I’ve fought the bottle and the night,
But somewhere between Zachary and Biloxi,
I started choosing light.
Verse 3
Now there’s a trike beneath the morning,
A bridge, a breeze, a Gulf Coast sky,
A laptop glowing like a campfire,
Another BluSup dream to try.
Almost eighty, still creating,
Still chasing purpose down the road,
Turning loneliness into language,
Turning memory into code.
Final Chorus
Yeah, I’m still riding toward the light,
Still got thunder in my name,
I’ve been broken, I’ve been blessed,
I’ve walked through loss and flame.
I’ve got stories in my hands,
I’ve got code inside my bones,
I’ve been lonely, I’ve been loved,
But I was never really gone.
Let the young ones have their lightning,
Let the old roads have their say,
I’m still here, still building something,
Still becoming every day.
And when the Gulf wind calls my name,
I smile and ride away:
BOOM, old man — you’re alive today.
Outro
Paradise behind me,
Biloxi up ahead,
A thousand miles of memory,
And I ain’t done yet.
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