If we have each other
Inspired by Alec Benjamin
I’m 23, and my folks are getting old
I know they don’t have forever, and I’m scared to be alone
So I’m thankful for my sister, even though sometimes we fight
When high school wasn’t easy, she’s the reason I survived
There’s a reason I’m a fan of Alec Benjamin. Last year, 2023, he was my most-played artist, and I believe he’s on track to be the same this year.
His song, “If We Have Each Other”, from the Narrated For You album released in 2018, is one I find hard to skip. In many ways, Alec’s words mirror my own experiences.
I got admitted into the same college as my sister, Laurel — in the same year too. It wasn’t planned — call it the hand of God or whatever you like, but it happened. We ended up living together throughout college, except for one year; her course of study lasted four years, and mine, five.
The four years we spent together were bittersweet, but they brought us closer, possibly closer than any of our other siblings. We are a family of five, and although I won’t go into detail, “If We Have Each Other” feels like a love song to me. Every time it comes on the radio or lands at the top of my play queue, it reminds me of those memories, faint as they may be now.
In Alec’s voice,
The world’s not perfect, but it’s not that bad
If we got each other, and that’s all we have
I will be your brother, and I’ll hold your hand
You should know I’ll be there for you
When the world’s not perfect, when the world’s not kind
If we have each other, then we’ll both be fine
I will be your brother, and I’ll hold your hand
You should know I’ll be there for you.
P.S. Laurel is just her nickname.
