Wide Open Spaces

Who it's for

Songwriter Susan Gibson wrote it about leaving home and the need for room to grow, with a nod to the parents watching their kid go.

Feelings it meets

• Major Life Transition
• Coming of Age
• Separation from Loved Ones

What it is

"Wide Open Spaces" was written by Susan Gibson and recorded by the Dixie Chicks (now The Chicks) as the title track of their 1998 album. Gibson began it in 1993 on a visit home after starting forestry school at the University of Montana. The song follows a young woman leaving home to seek independence and new experiences, and it became a number-one country single and won CMA Single of the Year.

Where to find it

All major streaming services.

Before you start

Age: All ages

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.Robert Frost, “The Road Not Taken”