2026 Competition Entry:
The Road of Life by Kent Brian Zilliox
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Lyrics
The Road of Life – Kent B Zilliox
[Verse 1]
You have to hold something before you can lose it.
You must trust someone to be betrayed.
You must give your love away to risk a broken heart.
To journey down the road, the road of life.
[Verse 2]
You have to be strong before you feel weakness.
You must see the light to rise from darkness.
You must believe in yourself to carry on.
To journey down the road, the road of life.
[Chorus]
All things in life, happen for you not too you.
The dips in the road, are lessons learned.
The more you endure, the wiser you become.
As you journey, (journey down the road).
The road of life.
[Instrumental]
[Bridge]
At times the road will narrow,
Winding uphill, through the darkest night.
Now, the sun can rise around any corner.
And hold you… (Hold you). In its light…
[Chorus]
All things in life, happen for you not to you.
The dips in the road are lessons learned.
The more you endure the wiser you become.
As you journey, (journey down the road).
The road of life.
[Outro]
As you journey down the road, (down the road).
The road of life. (Journey down the road).
The road of life.
Lyric and Copyright by: Kent B Zilliox
[Verse 1]
You have to hold something before you can lose it.
You must trust someone to be betrayed.
You must give your love away to risk a broken heart.
To journey down the road, the road of life.
[Verse 2]
You have to be strong before you feel weakness.
You must see the light to rise from darkness.
You must believe in yourself to carry on.
To journey down the road, the road of life.
[Chorus]
All things in life, happen for you not too you.
The dips in the road, are lessons learned.
The more you endure, the wiser you become.
As you journey, (journey down the road).
The road of life.
[Instrumental]
[Bridge]
At times the road will narrow,
Winding uphill, through the darkest night.
Now, the sun can rise around any corner.
And hold you… (Hold you). In its light…
[Chorus]
All things in life, happen for you not to you.
The dips in the road are lessons learned.
The more you endure the wiser you become.
As you journey, (journey down the road).
The road of life.
[Outro]
As you journey down the road, (down the road).
The road of life. (Journey down the road).
The road of life.
Lyric and Copyright by: Kent B Zilliox
Author
Bio
For more than thirty years, I’ve been writing songs shaped by personal experience, relatable stories, and imagination. My creative drive comes from a desire to write authentically, crafting lyrics that stir familiar emotions, spark nostalgia, or offer a sense of hope. Though I play just enough guitar to shape my compositions, I never pursued the traditional path of performing as a singer-songwriter or forming a band to collaborate with.
Instead, I’ve embraced a modern approach: working with online session musicians for instrumentation and using AI tools to turn my lyrics into full musical arrangements, as if a band were behind me. This process allows me to stay true to the heart of each song while exploring new ways to bring my writing to life.
In doing so, I’m taking the next step, sharing my work more widely and hoping some songs might eventually find their way into some industry ears and eventually to a performer who connects with them and helps them take flight. Entering this song contest (my first) is a way to discover which songs resonate most and may be worth more attention.
My website: www.KentzSongs.com
My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kentzilliox1001/videos
Instead, I’ve embraced a modern approach: working with online session musicians for instrumentation and using AI tools to turn my lyrics into full musical arrangements, as if a band were behind me. This process allows me to stay true to the heart of each song while exploring new ways to bring my writing to life.
In doing so, I’m taking the next step, sharing my work more widely and hoping some songs might eventually find their way into some industry ears and eventually to a performer who connects with them and helps them take flight. Entering this song contest (my first) is a way to discover which songs resonate most and may be worth more attention.
My website: www.KentzSongs.com
My YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@kentzilliox1001/videos
Leave a comment
THE ROAD OF LIFE is a reflective, wisdom-soaked ballad that maps the emotional terrain of human experience—love, loss, betrayal, resilience, and growth. Each verse reminds us that every twist and turn, every heartbreak and triumph, is part of a larger unfolding. The lyrics lean into paradox: strength born from weakness, light discovered through darkness, and wisdom earned through pain. The chorus reframes adversity with a powerful shift in perspective–“All things in life happen for you, not to you”—offering a message of empowerment and purpose. The bridge adds a cinematic touch, evoking the image of a traveler climbing through night toward a sunrise just around the bend. It’s a metaphor for hope, for the promise that even the hardest roads can lead to light.