Verse 1 We started out with nothing but a rust‑red truck and a borrowed plan, Two hearts chasing open highways, building life with our own hands. A little house on the edge of town, white paint and a gravel drive, We swore that was the kind of freedom folks spend their whole lives trying to find. Chorus We were living the American dream, Working hard, loving deep, keeping hope in our seams. But the world caught fire and the lines were drawn, And the life we built was suddenly gone. Now I’m holding on to memories like they’re all that’s mine— The dream we had to leave behind. Verse 2 You kissed me on the front porch when the letter came in the mail, Said you’d be gone by Monday morning, headed out on a distant trail. I tried to smile and say I’d manage, but the truth was hard to hide— How do you keep a home together when half your heart is on the other side? Chorus We were living the American dream, Working hard, loving deep, keeping hope in our seams. But the world caught fire and the lines were drawn, And the life we built was suddenly gone. Now I’m holding on to memories like they’re all that’s mine— The dream we had to leave behind. Bridge Some wars don’t just take the fallen, They take the quiet things we love— The laughter in the kitchen, The peace we never thought we’d lose. And even when the fighting’s over, The cost keeps echoing inside— A flag can’t fill an empty pillow, And a folded one can’t turn the tide. Verse 3 You came home to a different country, one you barely recognized, Factories closed, fields abandoned, dreams turned to compromise. We tried to rebuild from ashes, but the cracks ran deep and wide— War took more than time and distance; it took the fire from your eyes. Final Chorus We were living the American dream, Working hard, loving deep, keeping hope in our seams. But the world caught fire and the lines were drawn, And the life we built was suddenly gone. Now we’re standing in the ruins of the life we’d planned— Two broken hearts in a broken land. Still I hold your hand and whisper, “We’ll be fine,” Even if the dream we had is one we left behind.