A small boy comes to the hospital for an X-ray. He holds his mother's hand and will not let go.
The doctor says his arm may be broken. The boy is afraid of the big machine.
The technician is kind. She is considerate and shows him the machine first. She lets him touch the button.
She is patient. She explains every sound. "It is like a camera," she says. "It only takes a picture."
The boy stands still. The picture is clear. The arm is only bruised, not broken.
His mother thanks her. The technician is good at her work, but the best part was the small explanation.
A thought to keep
Explaining a fear can make it smaller.