Where the Road Runs Out

I saw the water tower coming

Long before I saw the town

Same cracked sign by the county line

Same old road winding down

Mama left the kitchen light on

Like she always said she would

And Daddy’s truck is in the driveway

Still running like it always could

Maybe home ain’t where you started

Maybe home is where they wait

Where the road runs out of pavement

And somebody still knows your name

I spent half my life chasing somewhere I thought I had to

be

Turns out the road was only teaching me

Where I needed to be

There’s a photograph above the sofa

Me at seventeen and wild

I barely recognize that girl now

But Mama says she sees her smile

The screen door still slams behind me The floor still creaks beneath

my feet

Funny how a place can stay the same

While you become somebody new

I don’t need to call it forever

I don’t need to promise I’ll stay

Tonight I’m just sitting at the table

Listening to the things we didn’t say

Maybe home ain’t where you started

Maybe home is where they wait

Where the road runs out of pavement

And somebody still knows your name

I spent half my life chasing somewhere Now I finally see

The road didn’t lead me away from home

It brought me back to me

Mama left the kitchen light on…

And I finally came home.