We Can't Do It Alone

A few years ago, as I woke from a good night’s sleep, my mind was focused on a dream that I had just had.  As I recalled the events that had just played out in the theater of my mind, I realized that there was a message in the story that I had just experienced.  Being that most of my dreams make little sense, I couldn’t help but ponder upon what I was feeling and understanding.  

The dream began with me seeing that a car had driven off a nearby cliff and plunged into a  lake that was located just below the towering landscape.  In the depths of the water was a young lady that had escaped the car and in need of my help.  I stood on the banks of the river wanting to go in and rescue her but due to the danger of the circumstance that would put my own life in jeopardy and not give her the help she needed,   I knew that if I attempted to go after her that the goal of saving her life might not be reached. 

 Desperate to offer any help that I could, I stood on the dark bank and yelled as loudly as I could for her to swim in my direction.   It wasn’t long till I realized that she couldn’t hear my voice.  I could see her and hear her, but she was unable to hear me.  So anxious to find a way to lead her from the grasp of the freezing waters I began  waving my arms and jumping up and down so she could see me.  It seemed to work.  She responded by moving in my direction.  I continued to make as much movement as I could to keep her attention until she was close enough to hear my voice.  Finally it happened, she was able to slowly swim in my direction arriving to a point where she could hear me and know that I was shouting words of encouragement to keep her from giving up.  She finally arrived at the bank and I was able to take her in my arms.  Though she had been injured during the fall from the cliff and was tired and cold, she was okay and was excited that she had survived this tragic fall.  At one point she was too far away to hear my words of encouragement, but through my actions she was able to slowly move in the right direction.

We can’t do it alone. There are times when we are growing up when we feel alone or left out. Times of change are growing-up times: things like moving, changing schools, going on a mission, a new calling, a job change, having a baby, having your baby go on a mission, a serious illness, and losing someone you love. There may be times when we need to reach out for the hand reaching towards us but there will also be times when we will be the one that needs to reach out to others.

There is ALWAYS someone that cares about us. It may not always be the people we want to have caring about us, but there is always someone who is there and who cares and that will never change.  We all need people who care. 

 “Thy friends do stand by thee, and they shall hail thee again with warm hearts and friendly hands.”  (D&C 121:9)

Robert D. Hales taught: “It is also God’s plan that we cannot return to his presence alone, without the help of someone else.  We each have a mission in this life of which cannot be embarked upon successfully without the help of others. Birth requires earthly parents. Our blessing as a child, our baptism, our receiving the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, our receiving membership in his church, ordination to the priesthood, going on a mission, being married, having children of our own, blessings during illness and times of need—all require the help of others. And all these are acts of love and service which require the help of others and the giving of help to others.” (Robert D. Hales, “We Can’t Do It Alone,” Ensign, Nov. 1975, 90)