This was one of my sister-in-law’s favorite songs, and for anyone who knew Jaime, you know that she always listened to her favorite songs on repeat for months on end. It drove us nuts sometimes, but it was also one of the things we loved about her. She (and my husband) are really good at listening to the words in songs – me, not so much. The first time I really listened to this song after she died, I sobbed. Absolutely sobbed.
Two days after she died was the first time our entire family was together. A couple of my MIL’s friends came over to watch the kids, and my MIL/FIL, SIL/BIL, Charlie and I all sat down in our guest room to make decisions about the memorial service and to write Jaime’s obituary. That was a surreal experience. At one point, one of us suggested that we open up her Memorial Service with this song. Since my BIL and SIL had just gotten into town and not been listening to the song on repeat with us, we played the song on my laptop while we sat in a circle, and then we all sobbed some more.
One week after Jaime died, one of my best friends posted a link to this song on Jaime’s Facebook wall with this comment: “For my friend, Jaime, one hour, one day, one week, here we are, one month, one year, ten years, this song is forever yours.” Then just this week she added the following sentiment: “You know what is so great about this song? It makes you just break down in sobs and then, somewhere along the way, it makes you smile and laugh, like you find the joy in it all. Jaime, what an ode. You are one in a million.”
Well you only need the light when it’s burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low
Only hate the road when you’re missin’ home
Only know you love her when you let her go
And you let her go
Staring at the bottom of your glass
Hoping one day you’ll make a dream last
But dreams come slow and they go so fast
You see her when you close your eyes
Maybe one day you’ll understand why
Everything you touch surely dies
But you only need the light when it’s burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low
Only hate the road when you’re missin’ home
Only know you love her when you let her go
Staring at the ceiling in the dark
Same old empty feeling in your heart
‘Cause love comes slow and it goes so fast
Well you see her when you fall asleep
But never to touch and never to keep
‘Cause you loved her too much
And you dived too deep
Well you only need the light when it’s burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low
Only hate the road when you’re missin’ home
Only know you love her when you let her go
And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no)
And you let her go (oh, oh, ooh, oh no)
Will you let her go?
‘Cause you only need the light when it’s burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low
Only hate the road when you’re missin’ home
Only know you love her when you let her go
‘Cause you only need the light when it’s burning low
Only miss the sun when it starts to snow
Only know you love her when you let her go
Only know you’ve been high when you’re feeling low
Only hate the road when you’re missin’ home
Only know you love her when you let her go
And you let her go