ADN

Sorry guys I got this forwarded in a mail and well I tried my best to format it properly but I might not have done it properly. I thought it was a great story to read.


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.

Look for God in others.

"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.

No offense, but this sounds fake.

maybe the sentiment is true, as friendship is verey valuable, but for pete's sake (sorry Pete), please don't write stuff like this. It is horribly structured, and falls apart right when the person finds out that they will have to write more than two paragraphs to get their point across, so they just drop it in the open. :x

I do know it sounds fake raum but that doesnt mean that things like this don't happen in reality. I posted this here because I felt the message in story was powerful. I didn't write it I just tried to format it to the best of my ability so that it could be easily read by everyone. It was the message that drove me to post it. The story is merely a vessel to get the message across. Although it might have been structured badly but I liked it and well it made me realise how much of a simple gesture could have such a big difference

Now see...I'm popular...and a lot of people consider me mean when they first meet me...but when they get to know me....they know its just how I am...

But when I see kids that everyone picks on.....I'm one of the first to defend them and help them pick up their stuff.

I was overweight when I was a little kid...I'm not skinny now...but I've grown into an attractive person....so I know what its like to be teased and made fun of all the time. I make fun of my friends and people I know are secure enough to take it....but I always stick up for the nerdiest of the nerds...just because I know they're good people at heart...and I know, being as popular as I am, that maybe some other people will follow suit and befriend them too.

Deepak,

I know things like this happen, I came name a few times that I was personally involved in things like this, but a half-assed attept to write a meaningful story is not worth posting, better you write the essential statement the story is trying to make, and post that. and the we can post our own experiences, and not read some (well-intended) piece of tripe.

"You never know how important to a person a good friend might be, and you will never find anything greater than a good friendship. Look for them often."

vertical,
raum

I've seen this story sent out through email several times. While the message is a good one, the store is a bit sappy and makes you doubt it's veracity. I've been on both ends of this equation, so I know how important it is to be a good friend to those who might not have any.

REAL STORY: real short.

I met a man, he was pitiful, dirty, and unkempt.

I kicked him because I was mad I didn't get a promotion. (young raum = mean a$$hole)

I didn't know it, but I broke the syringe in his pocket.

Little did I know.

He was going to overdose on heroin, because being off the horse was too much for him. He had been in Narcotics/ Alchololics Anonymous for almost seven years. I didn't know any of this. I didn't know he was going to do this in my back yard. I just kicked him.

Eight days later he got his "7 year coin" for being sober. He came to my house, and put that coin in my hand. I still have it. I didn't know what it was, but he acted like it was pretty significant. That day at work, they reconsidered me for the promotion and I was given the raise I deserved.

It is now eight years later, and he is still sober, never a drop or a point or a sniff or a anything, but he still smokes like a chimney, and he plays the best jazz i ever heard. seriously, he got an honorary doctorate in Music for a impromptu revision of "A Love Supreme" by John Coltrane. He['s that good. But he is still miserable. He just fears me.

He thinks I am an embodiment of something he has to face if he ever takes another drug again. He thinks I am an avenging angel. He doesn't know that Angel's name, but he FEELS it when I am near.

We are not "friends" but if it helps him to live in fear of succombing to his weakness, then so be it.

not a good sentiment, but TRUE sentiments:

"Kick someone's ass, and you might kick it into gear."
"Fear of death is often the prime motivation for a full life."
"You never know; the wrong thing to do can sometimes be the right thing for YOU to do."

vertical,
raum

Good story

raum man to me you are a man full of surprises maybe because I havnt been around as much but it was indeed a great share. We all have the ability to make significant changes to someones life. While some might be thrown off the idea of being feared but when it comes to helping someone not to succumb to their weakness thats indeed something great.

I don't know how many lives I would have touched to that extent but it must be a great feeling knowing that you helped someone without knowing that you were helping them to such great extent.

thing is, Deepak.

I NEVER "HELPED" HIM. I did not change him at all.

HE DID IT. I was not the stimulus for his change, and by no means was I the cause or did I enforce it, and had no intent towards him but to kick him, mainly to release frustration for being taken advantage of by others.

The stimulus was his fear of reprecussion, which for some reason of serindipity, an action of my occured at the moment he was so inspired.

vertical,
raum