Friends

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 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.

"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.

[minks]

that is lovely

[chonsigirl]

Oh, that is so sweet.................................

[Bez]

That nearly made me cry Susie...puts things in perspective

[anastrophe]

i think it's worth noting - without meaning to detract from the *message* of the story which is what's important -

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/kyle.htm

[minks]

Originally Posted by anastrophe

i think it's worth noting - without meaning to detract from the *message* of the story which is what's important -

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/kyle.htm

Well isn't that just proof of how things can get a tad skewed when it comes to the internet.

Well it's a lovely story and just that I guess now, a story. But it is a feel good story.

Originally Posted by anastrophe

i think it's worth noting - without meaning to detract from the *message* of the story which is what's important -

http://www.snopes.com/glurge/kyle.htm

Hey thanks for clearing it up but I was posting it because of the message.. It sends out a good one..

Someone sent me this ages ago, and it's always made me think about how I respond to kids in general, and to look out for signs of being isolated. (I'm sorry to say I haven't always spotted all of them, but heard the dreadful news afterwards. No-one can ever describe what it is like to think a child that you knew felt that bad, and couldn't tell anyone. Much less that they made a good job of pretending that everything was ok. One child that i knew committed suicide...it was the most awful thing I've ever had to come to terms with. I've lost many friends when I didn't expect to...One has lyphatic cancer that she never knew she had, another died of liver problems. Other kids I have worked with died from accidental causes. Suicide is a really provocative subject - Every time I go to see a medium I ask him to come through, just to let me know that he is ok, and that he is happy. I have heard nothing yet. I remember him every time I ask for blessings for someone. I also have a friend that drank herself to death. The night before she died, she was in my flat telling me about how crappy her life was. I still wonder if there was anything more I could have done.
I hope no-one minds, but I will post this in my jounal, so I can remind myself to be a bit more aware in future. I wish I had been on those occasions.

You're a sweetheart, Pinky.

Thanks Snooze, but I'm not. I'm an unobservant D*ckh**d.