The song is about her mother, who died of cancer when she was a young child. In that context, the lyrics are heartwrenching, but the themes of dying before one's time and the despair of those left behind are universal. There are many parallels to suicide in the lyric, such as preparing for death and trying to avoid living in pain, be it physical or emotional, and this song always feels like me having a conversation with my sister, who committed suicide as a young adult - it always cuts right to my emotional core.
The song is about her mother, who died of cancer when she was a young child. In that context, the lyrics are heartwrenching, but the themes of dying before one's time and the despair of those left behind are universal. There are many parallels to suicide in the lyric, such as preparing for death and trying to avoid living in pain, be it physical or emotional, and this song always feels like me having a conversation with my sister, who committed suicide as a young adult - it always cuts right to my emotional core.