You just never know

[june72]

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.