A Little Nearer

[Verse 1]
I want the kid at the bus stop
To feel there’s room beside the door
I want the stranger with the groceries
To hear a kind word, nothing more
I want us asking how things work
Before we decide what they should mean
And every heart, however guarded
To find a place where it can breathe

[Pre-Chorus]
I know the world won’t turn on wishing
I know good words can disappear
But every better thing we build
Begins with what we hold dear

[Chorus]
I want everyone loved
I want everyone curious
I want us gentle when it’s hard
And brave enough to stay open
It’s an impossible picture
Still I keep it in my hands
If we don’t reach for what is better
How will better ever stand?

[Verse 2]
A neighbor leaves a book outside
A friend asks why instead of who’s to blame
A tired mother gets a little help
No one needs to know her name
Small acts don’t make a perfect world
They make one corner less alone
And maybe kindness travels farther
Than the borders we have drawn

[Pre-Chorus]
I know the dream is oversized
I know the ground is cracked and steep
But ideals give our feet a heading
When the promise is hard to keep

[Chorus]
I want everyone loved
I want everyone curious
I want us gentle when it’s hard
And brave enough to stay open
It’s an impossible picture
Still I keep it in my hands
If we don’t reach for what is better
How will better ever stand?

[Bridge]
Not perfect—just a little nearer
Not finished—just a kinder choice
One more question, one less verdict
One more person heard as a voice
Let the dream be larger than us
Let the work begin right here

[Final Chorus]
I want everyone loved
I want everyone curious
I want us gentle when it’s hard
And brave enough to stay open
It’s an impossible picture
But it gives us somewhere to stand
If we don’t reach for what is better
We can’t bring it into our hands

[Outro]
A little nearer
A little kinder
A little nearer than we were