Story: The Day the Manager Ran Out of Plans
Verse 1
I had thirty-seven reasons
why I had to stay
and twenty-nine reminders
why I ought to move away
I measured every doorway
every future, every cost
trying to choose the perfect road
where I would never become lost
The socks became an emergency
the lease became my life
every little fork in the road
was sharpened like a knife
and somewhere in the middle
of the plans I couldn’t trust
the manager kept shouting:
You have to get this right. You must.
Chorus
But when the manager gives up
the world does not stand still
the morning comes without a plan
the lungs keep breathing still
a door appears
a phone call comes
a foot begins to move
And life was never waiting
for somebody to approve
When the manager gives up
there’s nothing grand to see
just life already happening
without instructions from a me
Verse 2
I lay down in the forest
because nothing else would work
the heat had beaten every trick
and every clever quirk
I wasn’t doing letting go
I didn’t choose release
I simply hit the ground exhausted
and something opened into peace
The chest became much softer
the breath grew deep and wide
and later I demanded:
Tell me exactly what I did!
Was it trees?
Was it silence?
Was it earth beneath my skin?
But maybe grace was happening
and no one ushered it in
Chorus
When the manager gives up
the world does not stand still
the morning comes without a plan
the lungs keep breathing still
a door appears
a phone call comes
a foot begins to move
And life was never waiting
for somebody to approve
When the manager gives up
there’s nothing grand to see
just life already happening
without instructions from a me
Bridge
I took the blame for every storm
and gave the sun away
“I caused the fear, I caused the mess
but you made my good day”
the forest got the credit
the friend received the praise
while I claimed every darkened thought
that wandered through the haze
Then one small question found me:
Did you really make that thought?
And another:
Did you manufacture
the moment tension stopped?
The answer wasn’t wisdom
the answer wasn’t “me”
It was only:
I don’t know.
And something there went free
Verse 3
I thought I needed certainty
before I took a stride
a guarantee the road ahead
would open safe and wide
but life kept giving little things
a listing, call, or sign
not mystical commandments
just the next thing showing in time
Look at this
answer that
walk through this open door
perhaps there is no need to know
the seven steps before
and when the choice has happened
thought may proudly take the stand:
I made the great decision!
with the paperwork in hand
Chorus
When the manager gives up
the world does not stand still
the morning comes without a plan
the lungs keep breathing still
a door appears
a phone call comes
a foot begins to move
And life was never waiting
for somebody to approve
When the manager gives up
there’s nothing grand to see
just life already happening
without instructions from a me
Final Verse
Helpless used to frighten me
it sounded like defeat
no hands upon the steering wheel
no solid ground beneath
but maybe helpless only means
the map was never mine
and life is far too vast to fit
inside this little mind
So move if moving happens
stay if staying stays
learn what can be learned here
through these ordinary days
no need to make a doctrine
no need to call it fate
just notice life is already here
and never once was late
Final Chorus
When the manager gives up
the whole world carries on
rain arrives
the kettle boils
and somehow comes the dawn
grief may come
and laughter too
and neither asks permission
life keeps pouring through the cracks
in every old decision
When the manager gives up
perhaps what comes to light
is nothing ever needed me
to make the whole thing right
Outro
I don’t know
I don’t know
and what a strange relief
No perfect road
no final proof
no manager underneath
Just this step
this breath
this day
life finding
its own way
