I have a rule - don't forward the 'soapy' stuff. I will break that rule
for this one.... Even if it's not true, it's good.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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
friends 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 some
of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he
wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung
out 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, "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 I had 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
it's 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.
You now have two choices, you can: 1) Pass this on to your friends or 2)
Delete it and act like it didn't touch your heart.
As you can see, I took choice number 1. "Friends are angels who lift us
to our feet when our wings have
trouble remembering how to fly."
There is no beginning or end..Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift
happy Easter
shamrock
for this one.... Even if it's not true, it's good.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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
friends 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 some
of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he
wanted to play a little football with my friends. He said yes. We hung
out 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, "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 I had 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
it's 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.
You now have two choices, you can: 1) Pass this on to your friends or 2)
Delete it and act like it didn't touch your heart.
As you can see, I took choice number 1. "Friends are angels who lift us
to our feet when our wings have
trouble remembering how to fly."
There is no beginning or end..Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery.
Today is a gift
happy Easter
shamrock
