Mary Chapin Carpenter - Before and After lyrics

The dust settles after a hit and run Bewildered by the damage done I don't know why we choose the roads we travel Or how a life could get so unraveled We live our lives from then until now By the mercies received over the mark upon our brow To my heart I'll collect what the four winds will scatter And frame my life by before and after Once a trick of light made me believe A red fire was blazing from every tree We held hands as the evening gathered I forgave myself for what I didn't ask her Once I saw the sky filled with falling stars Bumped my head in the dark and it left a scar Held on too tight before I let it go Then forgave myself for what I didn't know We live our lives from then until now By the mercies received over the mark upon our brow To my heart I'll collect what the four winds will scatter And frame my life by before and after I've stretched my soul over fifty states I have lived on fumes and religious cornflakes And once I dreamt my shoes had grown thin and battered And forgave myself for what didn't matter God said, "Cain, where is your brother?" And who will tell his grieving mother? Jacob dreamt an angel, called his name And he never was quite the same We live our lives from then until now By the mercies received over the mark upon our brow To my heart I'll collect what the four winds will scatter And frame my life by before and after