Sarah Jarosz's song "What Do I Do" is a heartfelt reflection on the sacrifices we make for the people we love. The lyrics describe the struggle of waking up early in the morning, feeling tired and distant, but still going through the motions of preparing for the day. The narrator is clearly missing someone, and the song hints that this person is the reason behind the narrator's early morning routine. As the song progresses, we learn that the narrator is preparing to leave for a trip. They will be gone for a while, and they don't want to go. The chorus repeats the question, "What do I do this for?" and provides the answer: "I do this for you." The narrator is making this difficult trip because it is important to the person they love. The final lines of the song reveal that the narrator is not just leaving on a trip, but leaving home. There is a sense of urgency in the narrator's desire to stay by their loved one's side, to whisper in their ear and hold them close. The song captures the bittersweet nature of love--we make sacrifices for the people we care about, even when it is hard, but those sacrifices can also be the source of our greatest joy.
