Here's the story...
When I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class walking home from school. His name was Kyle. He looked as if he was carrying all his books.
I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must be a nerd."
I had quite a weekend planned ahead (parties and a football game with my friends) so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running towards him. They ran into him, knocking him down and causing all his books to fly out of his arms. 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. Hence, I jogged over to him and tried to help him as he crawled around looking for his glasses with a tear in his eye.
I handed him his glasses and 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. It turns out that he lived near me so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to a private school previously. That was when I realized I had never hung out with a private school kid before. We talked all the way home and I helped carried some of his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I invited him to play a little football with my friends and he agreed.
We hung out all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. He was equally popular with my friends. When Monday morning came, I saw Kyle with a huge stack of books again.
I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are really going to build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!"
He simply 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 and the miles separating us would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor and I was going for a business degree 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 glad that it wasn't me having to get up there and do the speech. I saw Kyle on graduation day and 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, I was jealous sometimes.
Today is one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech.
Hence, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"
He looked at me with one of really grateful looks and smiled.
"Thanks." He said.
He cleared his throat as he started his speech.
"Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Some people thank their parents, teachers, siblings or maybe their coach. However, most people must thank their 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 when he met me. 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 and popular boy told us about his weakest moment. I saw his parents looking at me and smiling with the same grateful smile. I never realize the depth of my actions until that single moment.
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."
I was so touched with the story. Hope you guys found your best friend too. They really are angels to us. For me, I have found mine... She is always there eagerly and heartily listens to whatever I say. She comforts me in times I am sad, troubled and bothered. She maybe not present physically but she was the one helped me overcome my recent heart prob. She calls me "superman" I call her "darna". Two different superheroes with the same purpose in life... to be a FRIEND to someone in NEED...
For others who don't know her yet. She is a former student, the president of my first advisory class in first year of teaching. I never thought that we'd become best of friends. Maybe because there are things common for both of us... things that make us happy, things that make us laugh, even the things that make us cry...
For months of sharing things together, it made our friendship grow stronger and better. I was very thankful I met her along the way. Her statement was: "hahaha! oo nga akalain mo yun dati teacher kita, ngayon bestfriend na tayo!"
While writing this blog I am texting her. Telling her things, giving each other advices, kalokohan, and all other things. Hopefully she won't cry when she read this.
Thanks for always being there "espren darna".
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