I think this song is about death and how it always lies in wait, as a child you fear it but as you become old you accept it. The lyrics, "I think I'm breaking down again," imply she is struggling to accept the concept that death cannot be avoided, and so she runs blindly from it. But, as she grows older she sees it is always in wait until eventually she is very old and welcomes it's embrace. In the final verse the lyrics, "My old familiar friend comes and lies down next to me," shows she's finally stopped running, and realizes there was nothing to fear all along. Perhaps the final chorus is her regretting that she wasted her time running and fearing the unknown, when she could have had a better life... But that's just the story I think the song is telling, probably not the real meaning but ah well.
I think this song is about death and how it always lies in wait, as a child you fear it but as you become old you accept it. The lyrics, "I think I'm breaking down again," imply she is struggling to accept the concept that death cannot be avoided, and so she runs blindly from it. But, as she grows older she sees it is always in wait until eventually she is very old and welcomes it's embrace. In the final verse the lyrics, "My old familiar friend comes and lies down next to me," shows she's finally stopped running, and realizes there was nothing to fear all along. Perhaps the final chorus is her regretting that she wasted her time running and fearing the unknown, when she could have had a better life... But that's just the story I think the song is telling, probably not the real meaning but ah well.