Alive - Lyrics

Eric Gwin - The Calling

Lyrics

Alive

Words and Music by Eric Gwin.

The Story Behind the Song

Like most songwriters, I find a lot of my inspiration from personal experience. When I began writing new songs for this album, one of the first things that I thought of to write about was how thankful I am to be alive and living on this earth.

In 2001, a couple of months after the release of my first solo CD, "Refuge", I had to be rushed to the hospital with severe pancreatitis. It wasn't until later that I was told that I came very close to dying. Since that time, I have returned to the hospital twice for the same problems, but I'm now healed and healthy.

All these trips to the hospital reminded me of how fragile life really is, and how thankful we should be that we have it. We need to take the time to notice and appreciate all the blessings that are around us each and every day.

This song is, more or less, my "Meloney" song for this CD, much like "I belong to you" was on the "Refuge" CD. I was thinking about Mel (my wife, for those of you who don't know her.) when I was writing these lyrics. I am so thankful to God that he has given me a soul mate to share my life with. Everything that I have gone through over the past 10 years, she has experienced right there with me. Often I'll get so wrapped up in myself and what I'm doing that I'll forget about the blessings of my wife and my children that God has so richly blessed me with. I hope this song is a good expression of how blessed I feel!

The Lyrics

I came to the crossroads
But I couldn't decide which way to go
I didn't know what to do
And I felt so all alone.
I thought I had reached the end
Of this adventure I call my life
I believed it was over.
I thought it all was gone.
But then I noticed you standing there.
You had been there all along.
You made me realize there's so much more
Than just getting by…

Chorus: I thank God that I'm alive.
I have this life to spend with you.
I thank God I have survived.
I'm thankful for every beat of my heart.

I used to pay no attention
To all the things in front of me
So much to look at,
But so much that I did not see.
There was so much to live for,
So much had given to me.
I didn't know what I had
Until I noticed you.
You were standing right beside me
Struggling through it all with me
You helped me realize there's so much more
Than just getting by…

Chorus

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