"MY LITTLE LION" is my nickname for my beautiful wife Leonie Lisa Zylstra Long, who has always been a fighter. When my sweet baby, Leonie was diagnosed with adenocarcinoma (pancreatic cancer), I wrote, recorded, and released this song "My Little Lion" for her, in the hopes that the song would help inspire her to fight, and did Leonie ever fight! Tragically she lost her life on Nov 4, 2025, due to complications caused by a blood clot in her SMV. She was beautiful, creative, intelligent, witty, fun, empathetic, charitable, and an incredibly talented artist in her own right. "IT'S BETTER TO BE A LION FOR ONE DAY, THAN A SHEEP YOUR ENTIRE LIFE." I will love you forever, and ever, and ever My Little Lion. I cannot wait to see you again.

LYRICS

(Verse)

She walks in soft, like the break of dawn

Eyes like embers, but the fire’s not gone

Whispers in shadows, but I know her fight

She’s the storm in the calm, the spark in the night

(Chorus)

My little lion, hear her roar

She’s the fire they can’t ignore

Claws of courage, heart of gold

Breaking chains, she won’t be controlled

My little lion, my little lion

(Verse)

World sees gentle, I see steel

Every scar’s a story she refuses to conceal

She’s the queen of the quiet, the ruler of grace

But there’s thunder in the blood that runs through her veins

(Chorus)

My little lion, hear her roar

She’s the fire they can’t ignore

Claws of courage, heart of gold

Breaking chains, she won’t be controlled

My little lion, my little lion

(Bridge)

Underneath the meek disguise

Burns a flame they can’t deny

She’s the truth in a world of lies

My little lion’s gonna rise

(Verse)

When the weight gets heavy, she won’t bow down

She’ll rise from the ashes, wear her battle crown

Every step she takes shakes the ground below

She’s my little lion, and the world will know

(Chorus)

My little lion, hear her roar

She’s the fire they can’t ignore

Claws of courage, heart of gold

Breaking chains, she won’t be controlled

My little lion, my little lion