Fantastic song with a very deep personal meaning. 16 years is, well, about 16 years: 16 years since the death of the narrator's mother. In this 16 years that have passed since her death, the narrator has continuously struggled with feeling alone in the world and using drugs and gambling to escape the pain of losing somebody they were so close to. These damaging behaviours have made him feel like 'half the man he used to be', implying he has lost a big part of himself along with his mother. The narrator has struggled to find a place for themselves, in terms of physical location and in terms of somewhere to fit in. Nobody understands the internal conflicts he undergoes, and how its killing him. Saying 'torn apart' emphasises the pain of his loss, leaving a bitterness behind, making the narrator feel as he has been robbed from the person he is closest to. In the first verse, the narrator states 'I'm sure that I can make it on my own'. As the song progresses, this feels far away from the truth and sound more like him attempting to reassure himself. There is an evident struggle to move on to the end of the song. We have lost somebody which makes this song so empathetic. However, it affects us all differently, especially when the one you lose has a integral place in your life.