“Never Really Alone,” Friend, August 2023, 22–23.
Never Really Alone
What if Ethan got hurt again when no one was there to help?
This story took place in the USA.
Ethan pumped his legs on the swing. He went higher and higher. The wind made him feel like he was flying!
Then the bell rang. Ethan sighed. He wasn’t ready for recess to be over.
Kids lined up to go back inside. Ethan let his swing slow down. Then he stepped off the swing to go back to class.
But when Ethan’s feet hit the ground, he felt a sharp pain in his leg. He fell onto the dirt. He tried to stand up, but his leg felt like it was on fire. It hurt so badly!
“Help!” Ethan shouted. Tears rolled down his cheeks. Kids and teachers ran to help him.
“What’s wrong?” a teacher asked.
“I broke my leg!”
This wasn’t the first time Ethan had broken a bone. It wasn’t even the second or third time! Ethan had brittle bone disease, a sickness that made his bones break easily. Even small things, like stepping off the curb or bumping into someone, could break his bones.
“We’ll call your parents to get you to a doctor,” the teacher said. “Everything will be OK.”
Ethan was glad people were there to help him. His leg still hurt a lot, but he knew he would be safe.
Mom and Dad went to the school and took Ethan to a doctor. He got a blue cast for his leg and went home to rest.
Because of his broken leg, Ethan spent a lot of time in bed. He had lots of books to read. Sometimes his friends came over to play games with him. But he was still bored.
One night, Ethan woke up and couldn’t fall asleep again. He tried to relax, but he kept worrying. What if I break a bone and no one is there, like in the middle of the night? Ethan thought. His heart raced. He felt scared.
“Dad!” Ethan yelled.
Dad ran to Ethan’s room. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m scared,” Ethan said. “What if I break another bone and no one is there to help me?”
Dad sat next to him on the bed. “That is a scary thought,” he said. “Even when we try to be careful and safe, bad things can still happen. But no matter what, Heavenly Father is watching over you.”
“So that means He’s always with me?” Ethan said.
“Exactly.” Dad gave Ethan a gentle hug.
Ethan thought about how fast Dad had come to help him. He knew Dad loved him and always wanted to help him. Maybe Heavenly Father was like that too.
The next day, Ethan read a scripture in the Friend magazine. It said, “Be of good cheer, and do not fear, for I the Lord am with you, and will stand by you.”*
Ethan felt calm and safe when he read the scripture, just like he felt when he talked with Dad. He knew it was the Holy Ghost comforting him. It was like he was hugging Dad again.
I will probably break more bones, Ethan thought, but I don’t have to be scared. He knew he would never really be alone.
Illustrations by Simini Blocker