The power of being a friend

This email has been making the rounds again.  It's a story with a good message.

One day when I was a high school freshman, I saw a kid from one of my classes walking home from school.  His name was Kyle, and it looked like he was carrying every book he owned.

I asked myself, “Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday?  He must really be a nerd.”  I, on the other hand, had quite a weekend planned -- parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon -- so I shrugged and went on.

In a moment, a bunch of guys ran towards him, aggressively knocking the books out of his arms, then tripping him so he landed in the dirt, laughing as they moved on.

Kyle’s glassed went flying.  As I walked over, there was terrible sadness in his eyes.  Handing him his glasses I said, “Those guys are jerks.  They should get a life.”

A smile lit his face.  “Hey, thanks!”  Together we gathered his stuff, and it turned out he lived near me.  He’d just transferred from a private school, and that’s why I hadn’t seen him walking before.

As we talked, we hit it off real well.  He was a cool kid, thoughtful, bright, funny.  I invited him to play football with me and my buddies the next day.  And he accepted.

We hung out a lot over the next four years.  In fact we became best friends.

In our senior year we began talking colleges.  Kyle was headed to Georgetown and pre-med, and I was going to Duke for business on a football scholarship.  I felt we’d always be friends, and the miles would never be a problem

Kyle had really found himself, he had a good sense of who he was.  He’d filled out and actually looked good in glasses.  He almost had more dates than I did, and sometimes I was almost jealous. 

As valedictorian of our class, Kyle had an important speech to prepare.  I was so glad it wasn’t me having to go up there and speak to everybody. 

Graduation day I could see he was nervous.  “Hey big guy,” I said smacking him on the back, “You’ll be great!”

“Thanks,” he replied, looking me straight in the eyes with a warm smile.

On stage he cleared his throat and began. “Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through the tough times.  Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a couch, and especially your friends.  I’m here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.  And I’m going to tell you a story.  My story.”

I stared in disbelief as he recounted the first day we met.  He had planned to kill himself that weekend.  He’d cleaned out his locker so his family wouldn’t have to do it later.  He was carrying home all his things.

Kyle looked at me and smiled.  “Thankfully, “he said, “I was saved by a friend.  He saved me from doing the unspeakable.”

In the silence that followed, this likable young man told us about the lowest point in his life.  Afterward his parents hugged me and shook my hand. 

So, what Kyle said, I would underscore.  Never underestimate the power of your actions.  There is no such thing as a small act of kindness.  One kind word or deed can change the course of another person’s life.