[Verse 1]
Boots in the desert sand
Too young to understand
Orders and open skies
Prayers in a midnight line
Dust on the family name
Flag patch and quiet shame
Calling my mom on base
Lying, "I'm okay"
[Pre-Chorus]
Every shadow knew my name
Every heartbeat sounded strange
I kept saying, "I'll be fine"
As I crossed another line
[Chorus]
I went to war and I came back broken
But I'm breathing, yeah, my heart's still open
All of the scars that I tried to hide
Paint my story red, blue, and white
I took the risk, and I paid that price
Now I'm holding on to this borrowed life
I fought for a flag, but I found much more
I found the strength
To come back from war
[Verse 2]
Sirens inside my head
Wake up in a stranger's bed
Walls closing in at night
Jumping at every light
Friends that I couldn't save
Names I could never say
Salute them in my sleep
Promise their watch I'll keep
[Pre-Chorus]
Therapy and trembling hands
Learning how to stand again
Telling what I never told
Letting all the secrets go
[Chorus]
I went to war and I came back broken
But I'm breathing, yeah, my heart's still open
All of the scars that I tried to hide
Paint my story red, blue, and white
I took the risk, and I paid that price
Now I'm holding on to this borrowed life
I fought for a flag, but I found much more
I found the strength
To come back from war
[Bridge]
Dad in the hallway, crying soft (hey)
Mom saying, "Son, you did enough"
Strangers are thanking me on the street
They don't see the nights I never sleep
But I'm learning to love this damaged mind
Step by step, leave the past behind
I would do it again, through the fear, through the pain
For the chance to stand here and say
[Chorus]
I went to war and I came back broken
But I'm breathing, yeah, my heart's still open
All of the scars that I tried to hide
Paint my story red, blue, and white
I took the risk, and I'd take it twice
If it meant that you could live your life
I fought for a flag, but I found much more
I found the strength
To come back from war (oh)
I found the strength
To come back from war