This song was written as we observed Em’s sister, Sue and her business partner, Doug struggling to find a new home for their theater productions in Nashville Indiana. They were feeling pretty hopeless about the future of their company. Then, as if by magic, the space that they wanted suddenly became available to rent, indefinitely! The only person who had been an obstacle was no longer there. The space they loved was theirs.

We, too, have had the experience of being “surprised” many times through the years and wanted to write about it—trying to capture the thrill of those momentary happenings. This song and story brought back memories of many experiences where scarcity suddenly became abundance—hopeless became hopeful.

Lyrics

Once in awhile
When you least expect it
Time stands still
And the stars align

Sometimes in a face
You see an answer
Suddenly it all falls in place

Even though
It may seem slow
Finally you find a path that’s true

Usually it seems
It’s all up to you, and hard to bear
And no matter what you do
It just takes much too much to care
Yet what else can you do
But what you do
And then wait patiently
You’ve tried, knowing times will surely ease a bit

Then suddenly
As if by magic
Everything seems to go your way

Every now and then
When you’re not looking
Fate steps in just to save the day

Even though
It may seem slow
Finally you find a path that’s true

Only when
You have given in
And done everything you can
Then you will find a path that’s true

Credits

From Settle Down, track released 01 March 2007
Cheryl Martlage – Lyrics and vocals
Emerson Martlage – Music, guitar and vocals
Mr Toad’s San Francisco – Mastering