From the recordings Not Far and Been There, Done That!
This is actually the last song I wrote for this album. When we were already in production on some of the other songs, I learned that a friend of mine, Curtis, had suddenly passed away. This event opened the emotional floodgates for me; I had dealt with grief before--most notably the suicides of my second husband and of my high school best friend. Until Curtis' death, though, I had not been able to sing about it. At that point, I figured that no "Been There, Done That!" album of mine could be complete without a song dealing with my experience of death, and my testimony through personal experience of the next life. "Though they can't be where we can see, they're 'Not Far.'"
Lyrics
When I heard the news of how we lost you, I could hardly move.
Just saw you yesterday, and in your playful way, you laughed and called my name.
And when we all lined up to say goodbye
I couldn't quite cry--the Spirit told me why.
The you I'd come to love and know well
Was not in that cold shell.
Chorus:
Oh, I wanna know, where are you now?
And can I still reach you somehow?
I feel you here; you're very near
And you're sayin' that you're not really gone,
And all of us here can carry on.
Though you can't be where we can see,
You're not far.
It hardly seems real. I don't know how to deal with all the things I feel--
Anger, fear and pain...was I somehow to blame? Is this life all in vain?
Sweet peace rises up through me
The Spirit knows my need and wraps around me.
The veil is thin and now I think I see
It's time for me to grow and you to heal.
Chorus:
This life is but a moment, seeming filled with sad good-byes
But when we reach our loved ones on the other side
It's paradise; Oh, it's paradise.
And we will turn to reach for those we've left behind
Yearning to touch all their hearts and speak peace to their minds
To let them know
Chorus:
I'm right here now,
and yes you can reach me somehow.
Feel me here. I'm very near.
And you gotta know I'm not really gone!
And all of you here can carry on!
Though I can't be where you can see,
I will keep your love with me.
I'm not far!
No, I'm not far!