I see this song as a song from a guy to his girlfriend. I see it as: the guy lost everything and is seen as "heartless" and he meets a girl and fell in love with her. He's telling her about his past and he's saying he has tried and tried to cross this "river" but he can't. So what I see is her telling him that she's been there before and that no matter how much rage he has contained inside of him, that she will always be there. And basically she is saying that she is there with him and if he takes her hand and holds on, she will help him cross the "river" to a life of happiness. I may be wrong but that's how I see it. My own boyfriend dedicated this song to me and every time I hear it I can't help but think about him and how together me and him crossed the "river" and now we are both happy!