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 tenfeet 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 sawa 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 wherehe lived.

As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked himwhy I had never seen him before.

He said he had gone to privateschool before now.

I would have never hung out with a private school kidbefore.

We talked all the way home, and I carried someof his books.

He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.

Iasked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends.

He said yes.

We hung out all weekend and themore I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him, and myfriends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with thehuge 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 onGeorgetown, and I
was going to Duke.

I knew that we would always befriends, that the miles would never be a problem.

Hewas going to be a doctor, and I was going for businesson a football scholarship.

Kyle was valedictorian of our class.

I teased him all thetime about being a nerd.

He had to prepare a speech forgraduation.

I was so glad it wasn’t me having to get up there andspeak.

Graduation day, I saw Kyle.

He looked great.

Hewas one of those guys that really found himself during highschool.

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 wasnervous about his speech.

So, I smacked him on the backand said, “Hey, big guy, you’ll be great!”

He looked at mewith one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled.

“Thanks,” he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, andbegan.

“Graduation is a time to thank those who helpedyou make it through those tough years.

Your parents,your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach…but mostlyyour friends…

I am here to tell all of you that being a
friend to someone is the best gift you can give them.

Iam going to tell you a story.”

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told thestory of the first day we met.

He had planned to killhimself over the weekend.

He talked of how he hadcleaned out his locker so his Mom wouldn’t have to doit 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 fromdoing the unspeakable.”

I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popularboy told us all about his weakest moment.

I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that samegrateful smile.

Not until that moment did I realize it’s depth.

Never underestimate the power of your actions.

Withone small gesture you can change a person’s life.

Forbetter or for worse.

God puts us all in each other’s lives to impact one anotherin some way.

Look for God in others.