Sawyer M., 7th Grader

Story by Bella F. 

"I have always feared being alone. The thought of people leaving me and having no one left scares me. I find it difficult to approach any situation alone because I have no support and I'm just by myself. The sad truth is that I feel it a lot, except around my family and friends. Of course we have some ups and downs, but our memories together make me forget about being alone completely. My friends have left me out in the past, but in recent years I have met friends who include me in everything. Hanging out with them helps me enjoy situations, even scary ones, because I have people to share it with. 

Every day I come home my parents ask me about my day, how I felt throughout it, and if any drama happened. They make me feel surrounded by people and love. This fear of being alone developed later in my life, while my childhood was just filled with happiness. I don’t remember almost any struggles in my early life, except little problems that I felt were big at the time. I always remember getting food with my parents, specifically Panera and Mcdonalds. I ADORED Panera as a kid, so me and my family would get it often. My parents would take me specifically, while my siblings didn’t go very much. They were older than me so they were busy all the time and our schedules didn’t align. I didn’t get as close to them as a kid, which is why I feel so deeply connected to my parents. 

A specific happy time in my life was when I was really young and it was my birthday. We went to Coopers Hawk with pretty much my entire family. Cooper's Hawk was just a restaurant, with no games or anything to do, but I loved it because I got to spend quality time with my relatives. I always remember this time because my whole family doesn’t often get together. When we do, I never feel alone.”