My personal favourite - a somewhat earthy, gospel folk song. I redid some of the classical guitar parts on July 14/15, 2005. I'm no classical guitarist, but I think it's an improvement over the original version.

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It was a time of trial for my family (my Dad had Lou Gehrig's disease). I don't think I intentionally wrote about that, but the themes of pain and comfort arose out of the context.

RIVERS
copyright Tim Gallant 1988, 1993

are you still crying those rivers
I can hear your tears
falling down your face
I can see those scars
I cannot erase
well, the pain won't be forever
and somehow even now
behind these prison doors
we can reach we can touch
what we're longing for

hope that is seen is not hope
that which has been is not faith
it's enough knowledge to know the pain
can't last forever
Christ is the answer, we know
but life holds no hope without death
and I can only offer my arms
on this side of heaven

yes, we're still falling like children
but just the same we can laugh
we can fly just as the birds
dirty face, dirty hands
humans cleansed by living Word
and it's heaven that makes us willing
and puts our feet on concrete
and our shoulders on each others
in His hands there we stand
and we lean on sisters and brothers

yes we're still crying these rivers
yes we're still falling like children
but no we don't despair as if defeated
His strength's perfected in our weakness

hope that is seen is not hope. . . .

how I long just to hold you
you can cry on my shoulder

as long as we're falling like children
I will be falling beside beside you
as long as you're crying those rivers
I'll still be drying your eyes

as long as you're falling
as long as you're crying
as long as I'm alive
I'll still be drying your eyes
I'll still be drying your eyes