Waving Goodbye

E
Sit with me here in this room, I'm alone, but if you sit with me
                            A                         E
maybe I won't feel like I'm alone (I'll feel like I'm home)
E
I never went through that rebellious phase where my family was lame
                         A                  E
and I wanted to be on my own (now I'm on my own)

      B
And I wonder if I've wandered too far away
    A                                     E
and if I should stay... or if I should go home

E
If I close my eyes I am practically there, with my dad on the couch
                              A            E
and my mom in her old rocking chair
E
I used to climb on her lap and she'd rock me to sleep,
                                          A           E
read me stories then carry me back up the stairs

      B
And I wonder when I learned to read on my own,
     A                              E
grew heavy to hold, too big for her chair

                  A
You gave me brown hair
                  B
You gave me brown eyes
                G#m                   C#m
You gave me the patience I need to be kind
                A                  B
You said not to cry, I promised to try
               E
I'm waving goodbye

E
I call my mom once a week and my dad twice a year but
                                          A           E
I love them the same, I've no favorite at all
E
My dad can fix anything but I don't have that gene
                                             A           E
it just seems like that apple had too far to fall

      B
But I wonder if I'll take the best of his traits
    A                                   E
His humor and faith in the ones that he loves

                  A                       B
You gave me brown hair, you gave me brown eyes
                G#m                   C#m
You gave me the patience I need to be kind
                A                  B
You said not to cry, I promised to try
               E
I'm waving goodbye


E
Columbus, Ohio and Reno, Nevada
A
Chicago and L.A. and now in Seattle
     E
I've left behind all of the baggage I had - I still
A
bring you both with me wherever I travel
E
You could've fixed every little mistake
    A
The bumps in the road, the cuts and the scrapes
         E
Could've fought all my battles and made me feel safe
         A
Could've told me I'm perfect, unable to change

        B
But the best thing a parent can do for their child
   A
is strengthen their heart
          B                     E
make them able to wave them goodbye

                  A                       B
You gave me brown hair, you gave me brown eyes
                G#m                   C#m
You gave me the patience I need to be kind
                A                  B
You said not to cry, I promised to try
               E
I'm waving goodbye