>> > > > An interesting story:

>> > > >

>> > > >
>> > > > > > 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.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > It's National Friendship Week. Show your friends
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > how much you care. Send this to everyone you
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > consider a FRIEND. If it comes back to you, then
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > you'll know you have a circle of friends.