One day, when I was a freshman at school, I saw a kid in my class
walk home.
His name was Kyle.
It looked like he was carrying all his books.
I thought:
-“Why does he take all the books home on a Friday?
He must really be a tough guy.”
As I already had my weekend planned (parties and a game of with my friends on Saturday afternoon) I shrugged my shoulders and followed my way.
As I walked, I saw a group of kids running towards him.
They ran him over, taking all the books out of his arms and pushed him in such a way that he fell to the ground.
His glasses flew, and I saw them land on the grass a few meters of where he was. He looked up and I saw a terrible sadness in his eyes.
My heart went out to him. So, I ran up to him while he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I could see tears in his eyes.
As I handed him the glasses, I said:
-‘Those guys are fools. They were supposed to get a life of their own ’.
He looked at me and said:
-“Hey, thanks!”
There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that really show gratitude. I helped him pick up the books, and I asked him where he lived.
By coincidence he lived near my house, so I asked how I’ve never seen him before. He replied that before he attended a private school.
We talked all the way home, and I carried the books for him.
He turned out to be a very cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends, and he said yes.
We were together all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, I liked him more. And my friends thought the same way.
Monday came, and there was Kyle with that amount of books again. I stopped him and said:
-‘Hell man, what are you going to do with the books again?”
He just laughed and handed me half the books.
Over the next four years Kyle and I became best friends.
When we were graduating we started thinking about college. Kyle decided to go to Georgetown, and I was going to Duke.
I knew that we would always be friends, that distance would never be a problem. He would be a doctor, and I was going to try a scholarship on the team of football.
Kyle was the official speaker for our class. He had to prepare a graduation speech. I was super glad it wasn’t me going up to the podium and speak.
On graduation day I saw Kyle. He was fine. He was more full-bodied and really looked good, even wearing glasses.
He went out with more girls than me, and all the girls loved him!
Sometimes I was even jealous. Today was one of those days. I could see how nervous he was because of the speech. So I gave him a pat on the back and said:
-“Hey, boy, you’ll be fine!”
He looked at me with that look (that look of gratitude) and smiled.
-“Thanks”, he said.
When he went up to the oratory, he cleared his throat and began his speech:
-“Graduation is a time to thank those who helped during these tough years. To parents, teachers, brothers, maybe even a coach. But mainly to friends. Me, I’m here to tell you that being a friend to someone is the best you can give.
I’m going to tell you a story.”
I looked at my friend in disbelief while he told the story about the first day we met.
He had planned to commit suicide that weekend.
He told everyone how he had emptied his locker at school so that his mother didn’t had to do that after he died, and so he was taking all his things home. He looked directly at my eyes and gave me a small smile.
-“Fortunately I was saved. My friend saved me from doing something unnameable.”
I watched, with a lump in my throat, everyone in the audience, while that popular and handsome guy told everyone about that moment of his weakness. And I saw his mom and dad looking at me and smiling with that same gratitude.
Until that moment, I had never realized the depth of the smile he drove that day.
Never underestimate the power of your actions. With a small gesture you can change a person’s life. For better or for worse.
God puts us all in each other’s lives so that we have an impact on each other in some way.
Look for the good in others.

(Author unknown)