Taylor put herself in the song. Here, she's "Emily," and it's like a more tragic version of Taylor's life. She gets bullied in school, and once she gets older, her boyfriend pressures her to have sex with him. These are two hard things she goes through, and her father gives her advice to cope and defends her. The same happened with Taylor. The song also incorporates some of Taylor's biggest fears: her beloved mother dying, untimely death, getting into a car accident (I don't think Taylor was the best driver as a teenager, and that's why), hurting loved ones or unintentionally leaving them behind. I love this song because it's about finding the hope and strength to persist in life when things get rough and then relying on your loved ones in these situations. It's also about being a good parent, as shown by the devoted father.
Taylor put herself in the song. Here, she's "Emily," and it's like a more tragic version of Taylor's life. She gets bullied in school, and once she gets older, her boyfriend pressures her to have sex with him. These are two hard things she goes through, and her father gives her advice to cope and defends her. The same happened with Taylor. The song also incorporates some of Taylor's biggest fears: her beloved mother dying, untimely death, getting into a car accident (I don't think Taylor was the best driver as a teenager, and that's why), hurting loved ones or unintentionally leaving them behind. I love this song because it's about finding the hope and strength to persist in life when things get rough and then relying on your loved ones in these situations. It's also about being a good parent, as shown by the devoted father.