My gramps and I were driving down the turnpike, airport bound
With hopes to get there by the time my grandma's plane touched ground.
We left the house so early I thought we had time to spare
But traffic made the drive a nightmare trying to get there.

"Hey, gramps!", I said, "this traffic's bad! We're moving way too slow."
My grandpa turned to look at me, then smiled and said, "I know."
He asked for my advice...I said there's not much we could do.
"Then settle back, enjoy the ride and hum a song or two."

A small time passed, then I said, "Gramps, what if her plane is late?
Instead of getting there in time, we have to sit and wait?"
He said there's not much we could do and I said yes, that's true.
"Then settle back, enjoy the ride and hum a song or two."

So we were half-way there when I gave out an "Oh, no!" shout.
The needle was on EMPTY which meant we were almost out!
I said, "Hey, gramps. we're almost out!" He smiled and said, "Gee whiz.
There something we can do about it?" I said, "YES! There is!!"

So we pulled off and got some gas. I noticed all the while
That every time gramps looked at me he had a little smile.
It took me years to find out what that smile was all about
But now that I am older I have got it figured out.

I've gone through many trials in life not easy to get through
And worried over things when there was nothing I could do.
I've let events rule my emotions, leaving me no voice
And causing me to suffer although I was left no choice.

What gramps was telling me, preparing me to be a man,
Was...when you're faced with some decision, do the best you can.
If there's no action you can take, accept that fact as such
And never let it get you down or bother you too much.

So now I've finally learned the lesson...that is now my goal.
I do my best to act on everything I can control.
When I am faced with something where there's nothing I can do
I settle back
enjoy the ride
and hum a song or two.