Never Alone

By: Iris Fisher Smith

Narrated by: Donald Helmey

Length: 15 hrs and 43 mins

Publisher's summary

Iris Fisher Smith's stories of family, friends, and health will show the importance of sticking together with those you love. She had an Italian grandmother, who, in her teens, idolized Bonnie and Clyde; a father who was friends with Leonard Nimoy; a mother who attended school with the Boston Strangler, and more. This family provides a rich history that shaped the author's life and personality. When Life becomes challenging, this is the time we need each other the most. It is important to laugh and play together and enjoy each other’s company.

About the Author

Iris Fisher Smith grew up in Boston in an Italian/Jewish Russian culture. She comes from a large family. She enjoys spending time with her family and friends doing special activities. She enjoys music and writing. Smith has been strengthened by God's grace throughout the many challenges she has faced with her health. Leaning on God and close friends and family members has made all the difference. She is also known as a woman of prayer and faith by her friends and family.

©2020 Iris Fisher Smith (P)2020 Iris Fisher Smith

My spiritual journey, while never alone.

I met Iris a couple of years ago, and our dogs played together. They're both named Abby, her's spelled with an i at the end and mine with a y.  We usually just call them big Abbi and little Abby because hers is a golden and mine is a Maltipoo. In our conversations, we realized that we had a lot of similar life experiences even though our lives were completely different. If that makes any sense. Lol! Anyway, I took an instant liking to her, and I think she felt the same about me. She told me that she had written the book Never Alone. I had audible on my phone and several extra credits because I rarely listen to my audible books, so I downloaded it. She would ask me if I had listened to it from time to time. Because I don't listen to my audiobooks faithfully or for any length of time, I had to keep telling her that I really hadn't. I probably needed to start it over by now because most of the time when I listened, I was putting it on so I would fall asleep and wake up well into the chapter and remember nothing. 

So, in March of 2023, I was wintering in Yuma and preparing for my trip back to Washington State. The first leg of my trip was going to be a familiar one, and it wasn't going to be that long. So I headed out confident that the trip was going to go well and the first day it did. I had started the book Never Alone from the beginning. It was my company on the trip. I had my whole trip planned out, though I hadn't made any reservations anywhere. I wanted to give myself flexibility because the weather has been crazy lately. There was snow forecast in several places, and I wanted to be flexible. So each day, I would check the different available routes and pick the one that I thought was the safest and less likely to have snow. But every new route that I took was an unfamiliar one, and I was traveling alone, just me and my little Abby with a "y" LOL. Like Iris, I have several physical limitations that make even driving difficult but not impossible. So on my trip, I had gone through a town and I looked at my gas gauge. I saw a gas station, but I still had three quarters of a tank. So I decided to keep going, assuming there would be another little town on my path, and I would fill up then. To my horror, there was absolutely nothing! I was becoming really nervous and could feel my heart pounding out of my chest with worry and fear. Of being on this deserted highway in the middle of nowhere and running out of gas. On my Google Maps, it showed a street and a gas station called something Landing. I can't even remember the name of it. I just knew that 46 miles ahead, there was the chance I could find gas. I began praying that God would watch over me. That I would make it to the gas station, be safe, and not run out of gas on the highway. Watching my gas gauge go lower and lower, my gas light came on, and I wondered how much in reserves I had when that happened. I had no choice but to keep going aimed at that gas station. Now my gas gauge was about an eighth of a tank below the E mark. To say I was panicked is an understatement. When suddenly up ahead, I could see a car pulling off of this side street, and I knew that had to be the street I was looking for. I just needed to get to the little gas station. I turned onto the little road, and my maps app said it was only 1.3 miles ahead. I hoped I would make it all the way there. It was within my reach now. But no sooner had I turned onto the road, my car lost power. I was forced to pull onto the tumbleweed shoulder. My heart sank, I was shaking with fear and anxiety. I was panicked, as you can imagine. I got out with my little dog Abby, and we started walking away from my car. I was praying they would have a gas can or something at the little gas station. Even though I have disabilities, I felt like I would have no choice but to carry the gas can back to my car and then return to the gas station to fill up when I had done that. I knew this was going to be a long, difficult day for me. As I got about 200 ft from my car, I heard a vehicle turn onto the Little Road. I looked, and I was thinking to myself, should I waive this person down, or should I just keep walking? Something told me that I needed to wave this guy down and see if maybe he had a gas can or something. He had rolled down his window and pulled up alongside of me and said, "What's going on?" I told him, I said, "Well, I was on my way to that little gas station there when my car ran out of gas right there... pointing back the way he had just come from. I said, "You don't happen to have a gas can do you? He started chuckling and said well you're in luck."" I own that gas station, so hop in, and I'll take you there, and I'll get a gas can and take you back to your car. I will follow you back to the gas station to make sure you make it and everything's okay. I was so thankful it was like looking into the face of an angel. And I hopped into the truck. To the little gas station we went, and he filled up a little gas can. He was paying for it at the register. I said, "Oh no, no, please let me pay for the gas." I don't want you to be out money trying to help me. He said, "Don't worry about it." We got back into his truck, and he took me back to my car, and he put the gas into my gas tank. While we were driving, I tried again to give him the money. He said absolutely not. He would not take my money. So I thought well if you won't take it from me, I'll just give it to the cashier when I get back and fill up my tank. Little did I know that he had already told her not to take my money from me. And she knew why. So I told her to please add the money to my tab. She said no,  I can't do that. He already gave me specific orders not to take your money. And I said, "Well, can I give you the money and pay it forward to the next guy that runs out of gas?" And she said no, I can't take your money, he told me not to. I said well why would he do that?" She said that's just the way he is. He just loves doing things for people in need. That's kind of what we all do around here. Everybody knows everybody and everybody looks out for everybody. I am sure it brought him great joy to be able to help you out today. We talked a little bit more about her little town and her neighbors, and I told her I'd always wondered why people would live out in the middle of nowhere like this. Now I understand why. Because the sense of community and belonging and everybody knowing everybody and everybody helping everybody was profound. So I thanked her profusely, and I got on my way. I made it to where I could stay for the night. Looking back on the day that had transpired, I was feeling so blessed. Of all the people I could have encountered, it was the owner of the station. He had come along precisely when he did. I had made it to the little road and wasn't stranded on the highway somewhere. The whole event could have ended up so badly. I felt like he was an angel sent to me in my time of need. My prayers answered, I was not alone.

The next day, I got on my way, and once again, there was only one route where they weren't forecasting snow. It was a twisty, turny route through this huge mountain pass. I was terrified. I don't drive in snow! That's why I went to Yuma for the winter. LOL. So my heart was pounding out of my chest, but I just kept listening to the book playing, and so often it talked about how you are never alone. I was nervous but had a sense of calm, too. I remembered the day before and how blessed I was. I kept listening to the book and repeatedly it kept saying you are not alone. It had a calming effect on me as I was going through this treacherous terrifying pass. I didn't run into any snow, and I made it to where I was able to stay that night, but not until almost running out of gas again! I was driving along, and again, there was a couple of hundred miles with nothing in between. I had been topping off my tank at every gas station, but that wasn't enough for my car with my little bitty gas tank. I kept hitting the gas along the way on my Google Maps route. It kept saying that I was offline and there was no internet. I was scared to death. I don't think I've ever prayed as much as I did on this trip. I was almost to the point of my gas light coming on again and starting to become terrified again!. I was getting dangerously low again on gas. All of a sudden, my phone made this weird kind of noise, and it said you are now online again. I hit the gas along the way thing and found out that there was a gas station just 9 miles ahead. I would make it! I pulled into the little gas station, and there was only one gas pump outside of a combination restaurant gas station. I think it was a post office too, but I'm not sure. But anyway, it was a little teeny tiny little place with one gas pump. On the side I was at, it said diesel. I thought, don't tell me I made it here, and all they have is diesel fuel! But to my delight, as I walked around to the other side of the gas pump, it did say unleaded. Yay! So I went in to prepay for my gas only to find out that in this little town, they trust you to pump your gas and then come in and pay. Once again, reaffirming the joy of living in a little teeny tiny town. Where I live, they require you to prepay because they don't trust anybody. And these folks trust everyone. It's amazing how differently you feel about people when you aren't surrounded by those who wish to do you harm or do bad things to you or cheat you or steal. I was able to get my gas and make it the rest of the way to my destination to my daughter's new home in Shelton, Washington. I was literally on my last nerve when I got there, so It was really comforting to see a friendly face. I just had a couple hour drive the next morning to get to my home near where Iris lives. It, too, was an unfamiliar route because my daughter had just moved over the winter. But I felt comfort in listening to the book Never Alone. I had already experienced so many amazing, profound things along my trip that really affirmed that we truly are never alone. When I was afraid and praying for help, guidance, safety, and everything else, it was all provided to me. I couldn't wait to tell Iris about it. It was definitely a life-changing journey. And those words never alone will be forever embedded in my soul. It really helped to strengthen the relationship I have with God. The book was a blessing, and the words brought me great comfort. I would recommend this book to anyone. No matter where you are in life. There are so many lessons and so many takeaways from it that can be applied to our own life. My life is forever changed. And my faith in humanity restored. 

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Relatable to Everyone

The author takes the reader on her life’s journey including dealing with health challenges. I found this story very relatable as we all have challenges at various times in our lives. I was reminded from her well written perspective that we are never alone as long as we have our family, friends, and G-d in our lives. Sometimes we just need to let go and have faith that things will all work out. Recently, I have had a few health challenges and found this book inspiring and encouraging.

very encouraging

started a little slow then WOW I didn't want to stop listening, I loved the history with world events, movie's, music etc. I laughed and I cried, I very much enjoyed the Vulnerability and openness of the lifetime of experiences, Joy's and challenges and how very important people and God are in our lives not only for ourselves but for others. I agree that we are "Never Alone"

Real life

The book explains real life trials and tribulations in a way that the reader can relate to and if the books mission is understood could learn from.

Honest and Heartwarming

This is one of the most honest and heartwarming books I've ever read.

In the hours that I was immersed in Never Alone, I had the feeling that I was spending quality time with a friend. Richly detailed recollections invited me into vibrant conversations and spaces that Iris shared with her parents, siblings, grandparents, aunt's, uncles, husband and son, and friends. Their lovable personalities remind me of my own, never alone, family and inspire me to proudly claim my relatives more boldly than ever before.

I especially loved the chapters in which Iris allows charming glimpses into her keen perceptions as a young child, the little triumphant moments, and easy playtime with siblings, friends, and simpler toys. From her youngest years, Iris gravitated to the kitchen where her Grandma Leah Jean imparted sound advice along with lessons in cooking. She talks freely about her early spiritual curiosity, being raised in an interfaith family, and her journey to a deeply affirmed trust in God.

For much of Iris's life, there were significant health challenges that didn't reveal an accurate diagnosis until many years later. She made no time for pity and kept moving forward on a unique trail to the accomplished woman who wrote this book. She possesses innate courage to move beyond insecurities and doubts, and engages everyone she meets with sincerity and openness.

There is wisdom in this book. With earned compassionate insight, Iris imparts the significance of her faith, her family, and her friendships. Whether immediate or somewhat later - - unbreakable fortitude, unfaltering acceptance, unwavering commitment, and unconditional love are the sturdy threads that weave her family's tight bond. I laughed a lot, I cried a little bit, and couldn’t pull myself away from this endearing family. Long after the last page, Iris Fisher Smith's memoir is still with me.

Never Alone is a wonderful autobiography that you won't want to put down. This is a book that feeds the soul. Don't wait to receive its offerings of assurance and inspiration.