Posted by Sherry on March 2, 2000, at 16:31:26
When Our Wings Have Trouble
> > >>
> > >>
> > >> One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw
> > >> a kid from my class was
> > >> walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It
> > >> looked like he was
> > >> carrying all of his books. I thought to myself,
> > >> "Why would anyone bring
> > >> home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a
> > >> nerd." I had quite a
> > >> weekend planned (parties and a football game with my
> > >> friend tomorrow
> > >> afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
> > >>
> > >> As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running
> > >> toward him. They ran at
> > >> him, knocking all his books out of his arms and
> > >> tripping him so he landed in
> > >> the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them
> > >> land in
> > >> the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and
> > >> I saw this terrible
> > >> sadness in his eyes. My heart went out to him.
> > >> So, I jogged over to him
> > >> and as he crawled around looking for his glasses,
> > >> and I saw a tear in his
> > >> eye.
> > >>
> > >> As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys
> > >> are jerks. They really
> > >> should get lives." He looked at me and said, "Hey
> > >> thanks!" There was a big
> > >> smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that
> > >> showed real gratitude.
> > >> I helped him pick up his books, and asked
> > >> him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near
> > >> me, so I asked him why
> > >> I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to
> > >> private school before
> > >> now. I would have never hung out with a private
> > >> school kid
> > >> before. We talked all the way home, and I carried
> > >> his books. He turned out
> > >> to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted
> > >> to play football on
> > >> Saturday with my friends and me. He said yes. We
> > >> hung all weekend and the
> > >> more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And
> > >> my friends thought the
> > >> same of him.
> > >>
> > >> Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the
> > >> huge stack of books again.
> > >> I stopped him and said, "Damn boy, you are gonna
> > >> really build some serious
> > >> muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just
> > >> laughed and handed me
> > >> half the books.
> > >>
> > >> Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best
> > >> friends. When we were
> > >> seniors, we began to think about college. Kyle
> > >> decided on Georgetown, and I
> > >> was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be
> > >> friends, that the miles
> > >> would never be a problem. He was going to be a
> > >> doctor, and I was going for
> > >> business on a football scholarship. Kyle was
> > >> valedictorian of our class. I
> > >> teased him all the time about being a
> > >> nerd. He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I
> > >> was so glad it wasn't
> > >> me having to get up there and speak.
> > >>
> > >> Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He
> > >> was one of those guys that
> > >> really found himself during high school. He filled
> > >> out and actually looked
> > >> good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all
> > >> the
> > >> girls loved him! Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
> > >> Today was one of those
> > >> days. I could see that he was nervous about his
> > >> speech. So, I smacked him
> > >> on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be
> > >> great!" He looked
> > >> at me with one of those looks (the really grateful
> > >> one) and smiled.
> > >> "Thanks," he said. As he started his speech, he
> > >> cleared his throat, and
> > >> began.
> > >>
> > >> "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you
> > >> make it through those
> > >> tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your
> > >> siblings, maybe a coach...
> > >> but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of
> > >> you that being a friend
> > >> to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am
> > >> going to tell you a
> > >> story." I just looked at my friend with disbelief
> > >> as he told the story of the first day we met. He
> > >> had planned to kill
> > >> himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had
> > >> cleaned out his locker so
> > >> his Mom wouldn't have to do it later and was
> > >> carrying his
> > >> stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a
> > >> little smile. "Thankfully, I
> > >> was saved. My friend saved me from doing the
> > >> unspeakable."
> > >>
> > >> I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this
> > >> handsome, popular boy told us
> > >> all about his weakest moment. I saw his Mom and dad
> > >> looking at me and
> > >> smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that
> > >> moment did I realize its
> > >> depth. Never underestimate the power of your
> > >> actions.
> > >>
> > >> With one small gesture you can change a person's
> > >> life. For better or for
> > >> worse. God puts us all in each other's lives to
> > >> impact one another in some
> > >> way. Look for God in others.
> > >>
> > >>
poster:Sherry
thread:25516
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000302/msgs/25516.html