When You're Ready
© 2009 Connie Mims / Steve Sample

Here you are, so tiny and new
I can't wait for you to show me all the things you'll do
But for now, I'll just look at you and smile
As we swing here on the front porch watching seasons paint the sky

And one day, you'll be on your own two feet
And I know, there's so much for you to see

When you’re ready, let go of my hand
And make a million footprints of your own in the sand
When you're ready, don't be afraid
To follow your dreams with every step you take
Trust your heart, to always lead the way
When you’re ready

I'm aware that time will slip away
From playing in the yard, to holding keys to your first car
There you go, dressed in your cap and gown
I pray we'll stay as close as how I'm holding you right now

And one day, you'll be packing up your things
And I know, there's so much for you to see

Repeat Chorus

I want to hear you laugh, help you grow
Set you free and watch how far you'll go

Repeat Chorus

Oh oh, when you're ready
Let go of my hand
Ohoo
Make a million footprints of your own in the sand
Ohoo when you're ready
Mmm
When you're ready
Don't be afraid

I started this song in anticipation of our first son being born. I was already smiling thinking about all of his "firsts" in life and the things we could do together as he grew up. More than anything, though, I was just ready to meet and hold him.

Songs took me so much longer to write back then. Over several weeks, I only had about five or six lines. Then he arrived, my world was turned upside down in an instant, and writing took a seat way in the back of the bus.

About two and half years later our second son came along, and I was compelled to pick this song back up again. By this time, Connie and I had started to develop a very cohesive writing partnership.

I knew asking for her help on this one was the right move. For whatever reason, it didn't occur to me until she started tweaking and adding some lyrics that I had also recruited another parent's perspective on this song.

I feel like this song turned out to have a pretty universal emotion in the end because we had both ends of the parenting spectrum covered. I was just starting out. Meanwhile, Connie had just sent her youngest off to college. I wrote this chorus about literal footprints in the sand, and she wrote it about making your mark in the world.

In 2010, Connie entered this demo into The 10th Annual NSAI Song Contest presented by CMT. We scored 7.23 out of a possible 11 perfect score. We may have missed the cut in the contest, but we wrote a song we both were proud of.

Connie has been a great mentor for me in my writing, and really supported and encouraged me early on when I had a lot of doubts about my ability to put pen to paper. Writing this one with her was an honor for me.