Let's  see if you send it back. We all know or knew someone like this!!  

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 ten feet 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 as he crawled around looking for his  glasses, and I saw a 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  where he lived.



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



He said he had  gone to private school before now.



I would have never  hung out with a private school kid before.



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



He turned  out to be a pretty cool kid.



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



He said  yes.



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.



Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the  huge 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 on Georgetown and I was going to  Duke.



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



He was going to be a  doctor and I was going for business 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 so glad it wasn't me having to get up  there and speak .



Graduation day, I saw  Kyle.



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,  sometimes I was jealous! 



Today was one of those  days.



I could see that he was nervous about his  speech.



So, I smacked him on the back and said, 'Hey, big  guy, you'll be great!'



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



' Thanks,'  he said.



As he started his speech, he cleared his throat,  and began ...



'Graduation is a time to thank those who  helped you make it through those tough years.



Your  parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your  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 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.



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, popular boy told us all about his weakest  moment.



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



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



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 others lives to impact one another in some  way.



Look for God in others.



You now have  two choices, you can:



1) Pass this on to your friends or  



2) Delete it and act like it didn't touch your heart.  



As you can see, I took choice number  1.



'Friends are angels who lift us to our feet when our  wings have trouble remembering how to fly.' 



There is no  beginning or end. Yesterday is history.



Tomorrow is a  mystery.



Today is a gift.



It's National  Friendship Week. Show your friends how much you care. Send this to  everyone you consider a FRIEND.



If it comes back to you,  then you'll know you have a circle of friends.



WHEN YOU  RECEIVE THIS LETTER, YOU'RE REQUESTED TO SEND IT TO AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE,  INCLUDING THE PERSON WHO 
SENT IT TO  YOU.