When inspiration IS found. . . . .

Subject: FW: >Being a Friend.
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> One day, when I was a freshman in high school,
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>I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school.
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>His name was Kyle.
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>It looked like he was carrying all of his books.
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>I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a
>Friday?
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>He must really be a nerd."
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>I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends
>tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.
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>As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him.
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>They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so
>he landed in the dirt.
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>His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet
>from him.
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>He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes
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>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.
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>As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. "
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>They really should get lives.
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>" He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!"
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>There was a big smile on his face.
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>It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude.
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>I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived.
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>As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him
>before.
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>He said he had gone to private school before now.
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>I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.
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>We talked all the way home, and I carried some of his books.
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>He turned out to be a pretty cool kid.
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>I asked him if he wanted to play a little football with my friends
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>He said yes.
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>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.
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>Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again.
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>I stopped him and said, "Boy, you are gonna really build some serious
>muscles with this pile of books everyday!
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>"He just laughed and handed me half the books.
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>Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends.
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>When we were seniors, we began to think
>about college.
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>Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I
>was going to Duke.
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>I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a
>problem.
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>He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football
>scholarship.
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>Kyle was valedictorian of our class.
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>I teased him all the time about being a nerd.
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>He had to prepare a speech for graduation.
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>I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak
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>Graduation day, I saw Kyle.
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>He looked great.
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>He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school.
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>He filled out and actually looked good in glasses.
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>He had more dates than I had and all the girls loved him.
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>Boy, sometimes I was jealous.
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>Today was one of those days.
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>I could see that he was nervous about his speech.
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>So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!"
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>He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and
>smiled.
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>"Thanks," he said.
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>As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began
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>"Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those
>tough years.
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>Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your
>friends...
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>I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift
>you can give them.
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>I am going to tell you a story."
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>I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first
>day we met.
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>He had planned to kill himself over the weekend.
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>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.
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>He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.
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>"Thankfully, I was saved.
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>My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable."
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>I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us
>all about his weakest moment.
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>I saw his Mom and dad looking at me and smiling that same grateful smile.
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>Not until that moment did I realize its depth.
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>Never underestimate the power of your actions.
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>With one small gesture you can change a person's life.
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>For better or for worse.
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>God puts us all in each other's lives to impact one another in some way.
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>Look for God in others.