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The Moment Slipped Away

She's a famous actress
Movies and TV
I recognize her as we climb the stairs
Of the IRT
we cross the street together
moving up Broadway
I'm trying to come up with
something clever I can say
about how I love her work
what it means to me
how in her most recent film
she acted brilliantly
maybe she'll think I'm stupid
maybe this'll make her day
but she disappeared into the crowd
and the moment slipped away

He works the wards of Bellevue Hospital
the mail delivery
for two years every weekday morning
he said hello to me
we'd joke about the local teams
the weather of the day
though there were many other things
I really wanted to say
you see he wasn't like the rest of us
it was a struggle for him to walk
you had to concentrate really hard
just to understand him talk
I wanted to ask him
where you get the courage
to come to work each day?
but I quit that job
I moved along
and the moment slipped away

Kind words don't move the earth
but if they can improve your self-worth
why do I let these moments pass me by?
instead I'm quick to judge, quick to blame
quick to criticize, quick to maim
it's hard to change
but I'll try

So maybe it's your best friend
or the next stranger you see
maybe it's your neighbor
maybe it's you
maybe it's me
who needs to hear encouragement
to make it through the day
who needs to hear whatever kind words
you might have to say
it doesn't matter where you're going
or where you have been
right now is the perfect moment
for us to begin
to appreciate each other
in new and different ways
please don't let another golden moment
slip away
appreciate each other
more and more each day
please don't let another golden moment
slip away
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© Christine Lavin CL2 ASCAP