HEARTBREAKING Michael Bennett s Soul Stirring After I m Gone Performance

You don't call me anymore. You just say you're busy. I see you laughing with the world, but you don't make time for me. You walk past everything I gave like it was nothing at all. I gave you my whole life. You can't give me one call. I'm still your father. Why do I feel erased? Yeah, I had flaws. Yeah, I got loud. But I never once walked out. After I'm gone, you'll feel this pain. Every ignored text, every misnamed. When the wood hits dirt and the crowd goes home, you'll finally understand what it means to be alone. You'll say you love me. You'll cry on cue. But love shows up. Why didn't you? I was here. I was breathing. You just stopped believing. When I was sick, you didn't know. When I was weak, you didn't show. You never asked if I was okay. You never missed me enough to stay. I waited for you. You never came. Now I'm just a fading name. I told myself you'd come around. But hope gets quiet without a sound. After I'm gone, you'll wish you tried. You'll replay nights. You'll let me cry. You'll stand there shaking hands in regret, wishing you could undo what you chose to forget. You'll say you love me. Maybe you did. But love isn't words. It's what you give. Jesus forgives. I hope he does. Because one day he'll answer for us. And he'll ask you, simple and plain, why you ever came. After I'm gone, don't tell the crowd you were proud. Don't post my picture. Don't say my name if you couldn't show up while I felt the pain. I was here. I was alive. You just thought I had more time. After I'm gone, you'll finally see. You didn't lose me. You abandoned me. I did it just for you. I worked until they shook. I missed my own dreams so you could chase the ones you took. I stood outside in the cold so you could sleep in warm light. I swallowed every fear just to keep you alright. Now I sit alone in a house I built for us. You pass my name in silence like I'm someone you don't trust. You left me here waiting. You don't even try. I made mistakes. I wasn't easy to love. But I never stopped showing up. I never gave up. After I'm gone, when the wood hits dirt. When the sound of goodbye finally starts to hurt. You wish you came. You wish you stayed. You replay every call you never made. You say you love me. You swear you cared. But love shows up and you weren't there. You just thought I had more time. You never found me. When I needed you, you weren't around me. I watched your life move on so fast. While I was stuck inside the past. I kept the porch light on at night. I told myself you'd make it right. But hope gets tired and so do I. You left me behind and called it a lie. You didn't mean to hurt me. That's what you'd say. But not meaning to. It still hurts this way. After I'm gone, standing by my grave. You'll cry for the time you never gave. You'll touch that stone. You'll say my name. But it won't answer. It won't be the same. You'll beg for one more chance to call. But silence won't answer at all. Jesus forgives. I tried it too. But even he knows love has to move. One day you'll stand before him alone. And he'll ask you why you never came home. You'll blow me slow into the ground. That's when you'll feel what you denied. I was still here. But not your money. Just something true. After I'm gone, regret will stay longer than I ever did. Waiting for you that way.