In the blink of an eye (twenty I e)

# IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE (TWENTY-ONE)

### For Damian, on Your 21st Birthday

**[Verse 1]**
September twenty-seventh, two thousand and five,
Rochester, Kent — you came into our lives.
My first little boy, my bundle of love,
More than I'd dreamed of, more than enough.

We were finding our feet, learning as we went,
Juggling work and family, making every moment count.
Those early years weren't always easy, it's true,
But whatever life brought us, we pulled through.

**[Pre-Chorus]**
We couldn't know where the road would lead,
Or all the places that we would see.
But through every change, one thing stayed true—
Home was wherever we were together with you.

**[Chorus]**
Oh Damian, look how far you've come,
Under different skies, beneath different suns.
Every road, every turn, every place we've known,
Was another road that somehow led us home.

And somehow, **in the blink of an eye**,
That little boy grew up before our eyes.
**Twenty-one years — how can it be?**
Look at the man now standing in front of me.

Oh Damian, if only you knew,
Just how incredibly proud we are of you.

**[Verse 2]**
From England we travelled to South African skies,
Closer to family, a different kind of life.
You loved those gatherings, the laughter and noise,
The outdoors, the freedom, those simple childhood joys.

Collecting precious stones wherever you'd roam,
Bringing every little treasure back home.
Vintage books and stories from another time,
That curious little soul and one-of-a-kind mind.

Then Nigeria called and we moved once again,
Not knowing quite what waited around the bend.
Those years weren't easy — we all had our days,
But somehow together we always found a way.

**[Pre-Chorus]**
When life pushed hard, we held on tight,
Walked through the dark until we found the light.
That's something our family has always known how to do—

**We pull through.**

**[Chorus]**
Oh Damian, look how far you've come,
Under different skies, beneath different suns.
England, South Africa, Nigeria too,
Every place left a little piece in you.

And somehow, **in the blink of an eye**,
That little boy grew up before our eyes.
**Twenty-one years — how can it be?**
Look at the man now standing in front of me.

Oh Damian, if only you knew,
Just how incredibly proud we are of you.

**[Verse 3]**
Then beautiful New Zealand called across the sea,
Another new beginning for our family.
After all the countries and roads we had known,
We found our place here — the country we call home.

Mountains and oceans, those wide-open skies,
Another chapter unfolding before our eyes.
We planted our roots and started anew,
And New Zealand became part of your story too.

Somewhere between school days and growing and change,
Birthdays and memories and life rearranged,
In what somehow feels like the blink of an eye,
Our little boy became this incredible guy.

**[Break — playful]**
And now you're twenty-one...

Wait...

You're actually an adult?

When did THAT happen?

An apprenticeship, your own job too,
Working and studying — we're so proud of you.
Building your future with your own two hands,
Working hard and making your own plans.

And then...

There are the cars.

Engines and tools, you'll work all day,
Pull something apart just to find a better way.
You can work on a car from morning till night...

But somehow, by afternoon...

**Nap time feels right.**

Twenty-one years old, with plenty to do—
But apparently sleep is important too!

**[Bridge]**
Keep that beautiful smile upon your face,
That laugh and those eyes that can brighten a place.
When those eyes light up, sometimes I still see
That curious little boy looking back at me.

Life will change and the years will fly,
There'll be dreams that work and dreams you'll leave behind.
But never lose the person you are inside,
That curious heart and determined mind.

**[Final Chorus]**
Oh Damian, look how far you've come,
From that little boy to twenty-one.
Rochester, South Africa, Nigeria along the way,
To beautiful New Zealand — our home today.

Every ocean crossed, every road we've known,
Every new beginning somehow led us home.
And of all the journeys life has taken us through,
One of our greatest gifts has been watching **you**.

So chase those dreams, see where they lead,
Build the life and the future that you believe.
And wherever tomorrow may carry you...

Remember—

**We are so incredibly proud of you.**

**[Outro]**
September twenty-seventh, two thousand and five,
A little boy came and changed my life.

And somehow...

**In the blink of an eye...**

That little boy is twenty-one.

Happy 21st Birthday, Damian.

**This is only the beginning. ❤️**