Lyrics

My mother said when you grow up

Be a wise man with money in his pocket

But who are you to say

Knowledge in his mind

Kindness in his heart

Confidence in his face

Responsibility in his soul

Religious minds have been told

I thought about giving up getting old

I’ve been down on my knees

I’ve been begging you please

To help me find my way back

I’ve been gone

I’ve been wrong

I’m holding on

To a love that I never knew

The city lights don’t shine like stars

And the smoke can’t lift me too far

I’m chasing what I can’t name

Trying to outrun shame

In time I’m reminded by my scars

I’ve been gone

I’ve been wrong

I’m holding on

To a love that I never knew

I’ve been gone

I’ve been wrong

I’m holding on

To a light that is shining through

Story Behind the Song

“Shining Through” was written during a break at work when I found myself thinking about how broke I was and questioning the direction of my life. For years, I had focused so much on getting through each day that I hadn’t spent enough time looking inward and understanding who I was becoming.

As I reflected on the advice I was given growing up—being wise, responsible, and successful—I began to wonder if I was truly living with “knowledge in my mind, kindness in my heart, confidence in my face, and responsibility in my soul.” The song became a way of confronting that gap between who I was and who I wanted to be.

The lines “I’ve been gone, I’ve been wrong” came from a place of honesty. I could see the mistakes I had made, the shame I carried, and the ways I had drifted from myself over the years. But even in that uncertainty, I felt myself “holding on to a love that I never knew” and searching for something deeper than money, status, or the distractions of everyday life.

“Shining Through” captures a moment when I stopped looking outward for answers and started looking within. It’s a reminder that even when we feel lost, there is still a light shining through the cracks, waiting for us to notice it.