Recently, I came across a beautiful song by Alex Warren, an up-and-coming artist:
"You'll Be Alright, Kid."
This song is a much-needed anthem—for the young, the middle-aged, and the old.
Sometimes, all we really need is someone to validate our feelings. Someone who acknowledges our fears. Someone who simply says, "It's okay."
But in today’s hyperconnected yet emotionally distant world, even our closest relationships have shifted. Friends change. Some use you, some ignore you, and some check in only once a year. Even our very own millennial parents are often unaware of how their parenting styles affect us.
In the name of protection, they make us vulnerable.
They linger—steering choices around education, career, relationships, and even something as simple as clothing.
"I know what's best," they insist—until the child, conditioned by dependence, asks for emotional protection—only to be labelled weak or rebellious.
And the cycle continues.
Escaping this cycle is hard, as even ancient Tamil literature attests. Purananuru (Poem 193) captures this struggle:
Like a deer chased by a hunter across a swamp—
that’s like the upturned skin of a prey—
it may try to run and escape,
but it’s always bound by the ties of kin.
அதளெறிந் தன்ன நெடுவெண் களரின்
ஒருவ னாட்டும் புல்வாய் போல
ஓடி யுய்தலுங் கூடுமன்
ஒக்கல் வாழ்க்கை தட்குமா காலே.
Breaking free from family or social expectations is like running through a swamp—you try, but your heart keeps pulling you back.
So, when life around you feels overwhelming, remember these words:
"'Cause friends move away, and people get older
Your heart's gonna break over and over
You're not to blame, so don't blame yourself
I hope this helps.
You're gonna ask, "Why?"
You're gonna want answers
Gonna feel like no one ever understands you,
You're gonna think twice before you start praying,
And wonder when the walls will stop caving,
I hate to be the one to tell you this,
But you’ll be alright, kid."
