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What makes some friendships last a lifetime?
In Episode 32 of The Never Alone Podcast, Iris Fisher Smith reconnects with her childhood friend Beverly Klein Haffey for a wonderful trip down memory lane—and a heartfelt conversation about the extraordinary difference a true friend can make in our lives.
Iris and Beverly grew up together in the 1960s and '70s, long before smartphones and social media. Their friendship was built around sleepovers, music, dancing, concerts, amusement parks, family gatherings, lots of laughter, and simply spending time together.
But their friendship became especially important when life wasn't so carefree.
When Iris's parents divorced and her father left the family, Beverly and her parents were there. Iris spent that difficult night at their home, where a frightened young girl discovered something she would carry with her for the rest of her life:
We may not be able to prevent life's difficult moments—but we don't have to face them alone.
In this episode, Iris and Beverly talk about:
• What childhood friendship was like before smartphones and social media
• Growing up and having "good, clean fun" together
• The memories that can reconnect friends decades later
• How Beverly's family supported Iris during her parents' divorce
• Why friends can sometimes become like family
• The importance of being there when someone is hurting
• Staying connected even when thousands of miles separate us
• How reaching out to others can help us overcome loneliness
• Why the best way to find a friend may be to first become one
They also share some wonderfully funny memories—including concerts, amusement parks, bakery treats, old records and one particularly unforgettable Beach Boys/Chicago concert!
And there's one song that still transports Iris and Beverly right back to their childhood friendship: "Seasons in the Sun." Beverly even heard it unexpectedly the morning they recorded this episode, bringing those memories flooding back.
More than anything, Episode 32 reminds us that friendship requires something remarkably simple:
Reach out.
Call someone. Spend time together. Listen. Laugh. Be there when life gets difficult. And if you're feeling alone, remember there may be someone else who needs a friend just as much as you do. That's the message Iris leaves viewers with at the end of this conversation.
If this episode brought back memories of a special friend, tell us about them in the comments. And please Like, Subscribe, and Share The Never Alone Podcast with someone who could use a little encouragement today.

Discover Iris Fisher Smith's memoir, Never Alone, and order your copy: IrisFSmith.com

You were never meant to walk through life alone.

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Never Alone: The Friendships That Stay With Us for a Lifetime (Episode 32)

Have you ever wondered why you've had to endure so much pain?

In this thoughtful episode of The Never Alone Podcast, Iris Fisher Smith and longtime friend Ann Averil explore one of life's biggest questions: Can our greatest struggles actually prepare us for our greatest purpose?

Through honest stories about childhood, adoption, teaching, failure, illness, identity, and faith, they discover that suffering doesn't have to define who we become. Instead, our hardest experiences often become the very things that allow us to encourage, understand, and serve others.

In this episode you'll discover:
• Why suffering can deepen compassion rather than destroy hope
• How difficult childhood experiences shaped both Iris and Ann's purpose
• Why your identity is far greater than your successes—or your failures
• How pain often becomes the foundation for serving others
• The difference between feeling like a failure and actually being one
• Why listening is sometimes the greatest gift we can give someone who is hurting
• How faith helps transform hardship into hope
Whether you're facing disappointment, illness, failure, grief, or simply asking "Why me?", this conversation offers encouragement that your story isn't over. Sometimes our greatest purpose grows out of our greatest pain.

If this episode encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and leave a comment. We'd love to hear your story.

Order your copy of Never Alone: https://IrisFSmith.com

Watch every episode of The Never Alone Podcast: https://IrisFSmith.com

Remember...

You were never meant to walk through life alone.

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Never Alone: How Your Greatest Struggles Can Become Your Greatest Purpose (Episode 31)

How do you rebuild your life after everything changes?

In this heartfelt episode of The Never Alone Podcast, Iris Fisher Smith welcomes her brother, Lance, back to continue their family's remarkable story. Together, they reflect on one of the most difficult chapters of their childhood—the sudden divorce of their parents—and the lessons they learned about resilience, friendship, family, and hope.

Rather than allowing hardship to define them, their mother demonstrated incredible courage by leaning on lifelong friends, surrounding her children with love, and showing that even life's greatest losses can become the beginning of a new chapter.

In this episode you'll discover:

• How one family's life changed almost overnight
• The courage it took to begin again after divorce
• Why true friends become family during life's hardest seasons
• The lifelong impact parents have on their children—even through difficult times
• How adversity can shape compassionate, resilient leaders
• Why community is essential to emotional healing
• Lessons from COVID about loneliness, anxiety, and the importance of human connection
• Why no one should have to face life's storms alone

This episode is a powerful reminder that while we can't always choose the challenges we face, we can choose to support one another through them. Healing often begins with the simple act of showing up for someone else.

❤️ If this conversation encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and leave a comment. We'd love to hear your story.

Order your copy of Never Alone: https://IrisFSmith.com

Visit IrisFSmith.com to sign up and be notified whenever a new episode is released.

Thank you for being part of the Never Alone community. Remember—you were never meant to walk through life alone.

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Never Alone: When Life Falls Apart, Family Helps You Heal (Episode 30)

What do you do when life feels overwhelming... when the phone rings with frightening news, health challenges seem to multiply, or the future feels uncertain?
In this deeply personal solo episode, Iris Fisher Smith shares one of the most powerful stories from her devotional book, A Daily Journey of Hope—the incredible true account of how prayer surrounded her son during a devastating cruise ship fire, and why that experience forever strengthened her faith.
Drawing from Isaiah 43 and other passages of Scripture, Iris reflects on:
• The remarkable power of prayer during life's greatest crises.
• Finding peace even when circumstances don't immediately change.
• Why we never have to face hardship alone.
• Growing older while navigating health challenges with hope and faith.
• Encouraging others during uncertain times.
• How community, family, and faith help us endure life's storms.
Whether you're facing illness, uncertainty, family struggles, grief, or simply need encouragement today, this episode is a heartfelt reminder that hope is always available—and that we were never meant to carry life's burdens alone.
If you've ever wondered whether prayer really matters, this conversation may give you a fresh perspective
If this episode encouraged you, please Like, Subscribe, and leave a comment. We'd love to hear your story.
Order Never Alone and A Daily Journey of Hope: https://IrisFSmith.com
Watch every episode of The Never Alone Podcast: https://IrisFSmith.com
PLEASE Sign up at IrisFSmith.com to be notified whenever new podcast episodes are released.

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Never Alone: We Prayed… Then the Impossible Happened (Episode 29)

What happens when an entire generation begins questioning everything?
In this fascinating episode of The Never Alone Podcast, Iris Fisher Smith welcomes returning guest Ann Averill for a thoughtful conversation about the cultural revolution of the 1960s, the Vietnam War, Woodstock, the search for identity, and the spiritual questions that shaped a generation.
Together, Iris and Ann explore how events like the Vietnam War, Watergate, and Woodstock challenged traditional values and led many young people to search for meaning, freedom, truth, and belonging. They discuss the hopes and struggles of the Woodstock generation, the impact of drugs and counterculture, and how many ultimately found answers through faith.
Ann also shares personal reflections from her own journey and discusses themes from her memoir, Unmoored: How an Adoptee Found Her True Identity.
This episode is an honest conversation about history, human nature, addiction, recovery, faith, and the timeless search for purpose and hope.
If you've ever wondered why people search for meaning, struggle with identity, or long for something more, this episode is for you.
In this episode:
• The Vietnam War and its impact on a generation
• Watergate and growing distrust of institutions
• The Woodstock movement and counterculture revolution
• The rise of drugs, experimentation, and spiritual searching
• Joni Mitchell's iconic Woodstock lyrics and their meaning
• The desire to "get back to the garden"
• Addiction, recovery, and finding hope
• Faith, forgiveness, and spiritual transformation
• Why community matters and why we were never meant to walk through life alone

At the heart of every story is a reminder that no matter where you've been or what you've experienced, hope is still possible.

You were never meant to walk through life alone.

Learn more about Never Alone and order your copy: https://IrisFSmith.com

Learn more about Ann's Book
Unmoored: How An Adoptee Found Her True Identity
by Ann C Averill, and order your copy: : https://www.amazon.com/Unmoored-Adoptee-Found-True-Identity/dp/B0FKBV2DMY

Please like, subscribe, share, and leave a comment. We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences

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Never Alone: Woodstock, Vietnam, and the Search for Truth, Hope & Identity (Episode 28)

Welcome back to the Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith.

In Episode 27, Iris is joined once again by her brother Lance for a heartfelt and nostalgic conversation about their family’s unforgettable trip to Disney World shortly after it first opened in 1971.

Together, they reflect on what travel was like before smartphones, tablets, and social media — when families spent hours talking, playing games, sharing stories, and simply enjoying being together. From riding in a Cadillac and a Volkswagen Bug caravan from Boston to Florida, to visiting the original Disney attractions, this episode is filled with humor, touching memories, and meaningful life lessons.

Iris and Lance also discuss:

What Disney World was like in the early 1970s
Family vacations before the digital age
Childhood memories and sibling relationships
The importance of conversation and connection
Historical moments woven into family life
The growing loneliness of modern society
Why human connection matters more than ever
Lessons learned from both joyful and difficult experiences

This episode is filled with laughter, nostalgia, and powerful reflections about family, togetherness, and preserving meaningful memories across generations.

You can also view original family home movies from the Disney World trip and other family memories at: https://irisfsmith.com

If you enjoy The Never Alone Podcast, please like, subscribe, share, and leave a comment below. Your support truly means so much.

Order your copy of Never Alone today at: https://irisfsmith.com

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Never Alone: Our First Trip to Disney World in 1971(Episode 27)

Welcome back to the Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith.
In Episode 26, Iris is joined once again by longtime friend and author Ann Averil for a heartfelt conversation about growing up during one of the most dramatic cultural shifts in American history.
Together, they discuss what it was like coming of age during the late 1960s and Woodstock era — a time when traditional values suddenly collided with rebellion, peer pressure, drugs, free love, and rapidly changing social norms. Ann shares personal stories about navigating those confusing years, the consequences of choices, and the inner struggle between culture and conscience.
The conversation also explores:
• The impact of the Woodstock generation
• Peer pressure and identity
• Friendship and emotional support
• Shame, healing, and self-worth
• The importance of trustworthy relationships
• How authentic friendships help us survive difficult seasons
• Faith, personal growth, and finding hope
This episode is honest, emotional, reflective, and filled with real-life wisdom about growing up, making mistakes, and learning that we were never meant to walk through life alone.
Thank you for watching and supporting The Never Alone Podcast. If this episode encouraged you, please like, share, subscribe, and leave a comment below — we would love to hear from you.

Get your copy of Never Alone: https://irisfsmith.com
Listen to more episodes of The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith on our YouTube Channel, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and leave a Comment. Your support helps us share these stories of faith, family, and history with more people.

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Never Alone: Woodstock, Friendship & Finding Yourself in a Changing World (Episode 26)

What do the Marshall Plan, the Truman Doctrine, and a hilarious Easter story about searching for “Bunny” have in common?
In Episode 25 of The Never Alone Podcast, Iris Fisher Smith welcomes her brother, Alan Fisher, for a fascinating and entertaining conversation about world history, family memories, and the lessons we can still apply today.
Together, Iris and Alan explore:
• How the Marshall Plan rebuilt Europe after World War II
• Why President Harry S. Truman played such a critical role in shaping the modern world
• The origins of North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
• How history tends to repeat itself across generations
• The timeless importance of exercise and healthy living inspired by Jack LaLanne
• Funny family stories, including Alan’s unforgettable Easter morning search for his wife, Bunny
This episode combines serious historical insight with warmth, humor, and sibling storytelling. It’s a reminder that every generation faces challenges, but resilience, faith, and family can help us navigate them.

Get your copy of Never Alone: https://irisfsmith.com
Listen to more episodes of The Never Alone Podcast with Iris Fisher Smith on our YouTube Channel, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.
If you enjoyed this episode, please Like, Subscribe, and leave a Comment. Your support helps us share these stories of faith, family, and history with more people.
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Never Alone: The Truman Doctrine, The Marshall Plan, and Why History Still Matters Today(Episode 25)

In this deeply personal episode of the Never Alone Podcast, Iris and Karen open their hearts to share one of the most difficult parts of life—watching your child suffer.
From serious injuries to lifelong challenges and heartbreaking loss, they reflect on the moments that tested their strength as mothers. Through it all, they share how faith, friendship, and community helped carry them through the pain.
If you’ve ever faced fear, loss, or helplessness as a parent—or walked through a difficult season with someone you love—this conversation will remind you that you are not alone.
This episode is about:
• The emotional weight of parenting through crisis
• Finding strength in faith during life’s hardest moments
• The power of friendship and support
• Learning to trust God through pain

Get your copy of Never Alone: https://irisfsmith.com

If this episode touched your heart, please like, share, and leave a comment—we’d love to hear your story.

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Never Alone: When Your Child Suffers | Finding Strength Through Pain (Episode 24)

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