She spend the whole song contrasting her life, on the road, always moving, never putting down roots, with the life of the man she loved, who stayed in the mountains where they were born and stayed true to his roots. She makes it sound as if her life has been full of lots of travel but little connection to the world. And his life has been rich in connections and community despite him not leaving home at all. And she's realizing this too late -- because he's dead. And now even though she's going home to visit, it will never be the same, whether she stays home or takes off wandering again. Because she's lost her one real love, and home isn't the same without him, even though she's realized the value of being home. It's still too late for her to find the fulfillment she'd have found by going home and staying with him. Now she can only go home to, presumably, his funeral, and to pay her respects to his family. (Who may well blame her for him dying unhappy.)
She spend the whole song contrasting her life, on the road, always moving, never putting down roots, with the life of the man she loved, who stayed in the mountains where they were born and stayed true to his roots. She makes it sound as if her life has been full of lots of travel but little connection to the world. And his life has been rich in connections and community despite him not leaving home at all. And she's realizing this too late -- because he's dead. And now even though she's going home to visit, it will never be the same, whether she stays home or takes off wandering again. Because she's lost her one real love, and home isn't the same without him, even though she's realized the value of being home. It's still too late for her to find the fulfillment she'd have found by going home and staying with him. Now she can only go home to, presumably, his funeral, and to pay her respects to his family. (Who may well blame her for him dying unhappy.)