Mark the day I cross this line,
choose the way that will be mine,
lead, not follow,
lead, not follow.

Lessons learned, and friends to keep,
steel my nerve and take the leap,
and gathering speed,
I’m airborne,
flying solo,
armed with what I know,
given clearance to go,
flying solo.

We may go where none have gone,
doubt ourselves and yet go on,
Build, not borrow,
Build, not borrow.

We belong among the rest,
find ourselves, be at our best,
and gathering new
momentum,
flying solo
use what we’ve been taught
ready or not,
flying solo.

And gathering speed,
I’m airborne,
flying solo,
leave the world I know
with what I’ve learned in tow,
flying solo.

– Philip Silvey

Early one spring a robin nested in the bed of the downspout of my neighbor’s roof. Through an upstairs window, I could easily observe her feeding the newly hatched birds. A couple weeks passed before I spotted one of the babies perched on the edge of the nest. To my surprise, I witnessed it suddenly take flight for the first time, with a rustle of wings and a rocky descent to the ground. Feeling worried, I hurried outside to see what would happen. Part of me wanted its mother to come to the rescue, but deep down I knew this tiny creature would have to fend for itself. I wrote this composition for those who face such seminal moments as they muster the courage to leap from one stage of life into the next.

Duration: 3:38