My brother’s birthday started out as a bright, sunny day. I could smell the freshly mowed grass floating through the summer breeze. My mother and I made my brother his favorite breakfast. Our entire family sat at the table, my brother opening presents.

My brother decided to invite some friends over to celebrate, and my mother rented him a jump-for-fun. Before his friends arrived, my brother and I had the jump-for-fun to ourselves. Since the day was warm, we jumped into the pool to cool off, and then hopped back into the jump for fun.

Eventually my brother’s friends arrived. When they started tussling in the jump-for-fun, I excused myself; it was too rough for me. Then I made a big mistake and decided to rejoin my brother and his friends. They were now trying to climb the outside of the jump-for-fun, but were too heavy to reach the top. I was lighter, so I decided to grab hold and climb it. I reached the top with a little help from my brother and his friends, and then disaster struck. I accidentally let go for a moment, and plummeted to the hard ground. The pain was blinding and overpowering; I couldn’t see and couldn’t think of anything else. I tried to scream, but I couldn’t make a sound. I gasped for air. I choked on the salty tears that streamed out of my eyes, and I couldn’t do anything but stay on the ground, crumpled, and try to breathe.

I heard my brother screaming for my mother in the background, she arrived quickly, and together they lifted me onto the couch. It was relief to get off the ground and droop into the soft cushions. My mother feverishly demanded to know what hurt; I stammered that I my back was bothering me, but the bigger problem was that I could not feel my arm. My mother gently moved me to the car, and rushed to the hospital.

I was registered to a room, and a nurse came in to talk about my injury. She asked me to rate the pain; I said it was about a three, trying to convince myself I didn’t break anything. However, the doctor confirmed my worries: I broke my arm. In fact, I broke it so severely that the doctors were shocked that I fell ten feet and did not break my neck or have a concussion. I was incredibly lucky.

My father gave me a stern lecture about bad decision making, and I agreed with him that that was quite possibly the worst idea I had ever come up with. He gave me a hug and told me he loved me a lot, and to never do that again. I felt much better, and I really regret climbing that jump-for-fun. My parents drove me home, and my mother tucked me into bed to rest. Through all the pain, tears, and suffering, I realized how much my parents loved me. That was my dark rain cloud’s silver lining.