Hurting others w/ your words... Slickchick

A good friend of mine put this together, and some of it is based on our expierences growing up, and since all the children are going back to school, we wanted to share this to as many people as we could, in hopes that it may help as many children as it can !!! God is good !! And we now have an AWESOME friendship to thank him for as well !!!







Here's an email that goes along w/ a post I posted yesterday (see it below). Yes it's a little lengthy but well worth the read, plus it took me about an 1-1/2 Hrs to prepare, so please read it from your heart, & see the image it paints.



Forwarded Email (Thanks Stacy):



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, normally 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, you see, 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. Heck, 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 & said, '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 & NEVER underestimate the POWER of the Holy Spirit! With one small gesture you can change a person's life & not even know it, 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.



Please feel free to...

1) Pass this on to your friends

or

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



If you don't, the sky won't fall, nor will your life end at midnight...But, if you do, someone may read it & make a friend & it may even save a life today. 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..



MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE...

Now, here's my post conversation from the other day, last names have been removed...



[Me] To all the kids that have already returned or is returning to school n the next few days: If you see someone who is struggling 2make friends or being bullied because he/she doesn't have many friends or because they are shy or not as pretty or not dressed in the most "in" clothes - PLEASE step up. Say hi or at least smile at them in the hallway. U never know what that person might b facing outside of school. Your kindness might just make a BIG difference in someone's life...pls feel free to repost.



[Doug] U never know where they may be in life, they could be in a deadly pit, & your "one" word could be the one that either pushes them deeper or bring them up out of it.



[Tammy] Hi Doug...a good friend of ours posted this as well, and this was my reply to him, and i just wanted to share my reply here as well, in hopes that someone may read it, and have a change of heart. TY dear friend for you posting this as well !!!



[Tammy] I have to really thank you for posting this for the kid's out there!!! I was one of those unfortunate children growing up, that got bullied horribly by other children, because I was born with a cleft pallett and lip, and just because I LOOKED different, i was singled out, and made fun of !! But the one's that took the time to smile my way, and get to know me, found a good friend in me. And through all of this, no one knew that i also was being molested by my stepfather at home, from the age of 7 til about the age of 13...I kept that secret well hidden from everyone, because of the usual reasons of a person in that position IE..threat's, scared, ect... So I had to not only put up with the kid's being so mean to me at school...I had to go home every day to that life...I had no escape!!! And, had I not let all of this make me a stronger person, and had I not realized that ALL people are NOT bad...I would be a complete mess right now, maybe even dead...but I knew who I was, and what I wanted out of my life, and more importantly...who God wanted me to be!!! And since I have gotten older...my life has been blessed beyond measure !!! I have a wonderful loving husband, beautiful children and step-children and Grandbaby's!!! And I thank God everyday of my life for all of his wonderouse blessing's in my life!!! But it breaks my heart to know that children in this world, have to suffer through such pain in life, and that's why my friend, I am thankful for your post, because someone may read it, and have a change of heart!!! TY Harold God love you for posting this :)



[Doug] Yes...This exactly why I posted this Tammy! So maybe one person will turn from there own ignorance, step out of their "comfort-zone", not to attempt to gain approval of sumone else at the pain of another, like I did! This is the person I use to be, but NEVER... will I be again! Tammy...I know this not why you posted yur reply, for you've already graciously forgiven me, but, you know that I must say "I'm sorry for being such a jerk in school. I feel such embarrassment & shame EVERY-TIME I think of how I treated you and others when I was young (the things I said & done to you, makes me sick these days). Even though you & Jesus have forgiven me (thank-you), I still think back on this sometimes, and it hurts me so badly. Hearing what else you were having to deal with...like dealing w/ evil ppl as I 'was' wasn't enuff...well it brings tears to my heart. I know how loving you are now, as well as, back then, & I'm just sorry that I couldn't have been as loving to you, as you were to me...because you were just as loving then as you are now! Honestly Tammy, I've wonder before, if God didn't allow Satan to attack me w/ MD, just as He did Job, the difference being that Job was already living righteously in his walk w/ God. Me, I've only just recently chosen to be a child of God (9/19)....Again, I'M NOT BLAMING GOD...Actually, I'm blaming myself, for every decision we make, has a consequence, good or bad is up to which decision we make. I wonder many times if He just wanted me to understand, that it's not me or you that matters, but it's God that matters, (and He wants us to love others, as He loves us)! We aren't even a fragment on earth, but God is and always will be EVERYTHING. We know that your cleft pallett/lip or my MD was not from God & He's already paid the price for ALL our healing, & I've already accepted my healing from Him, just as you have. Hey, I'm not disappointed in where my life has ended, for I know that it's in God's hands, but I do wish I would've made better decisions in my past. Tammy, I love you girl & I think you for your strength & I love your smile!



MY CONCLUSION...

Now, for those that read this, I DO NOT SAY THIS THING BECAUSE I'M PROUD, instead, I SAY THEM TO HOPEFUL HELP CHANGE SOMEONES WAY OF THINKING...please stop and think for just a minute,



1) How easily could Tammy have just given up & done the unspeakable?

2) Who would God hold responsible for her pain & suffering?

3) Who's hands would the blood have been on, if she would've done the unspeakable?



Having some ignorant (ignorance is NOT an excuse!) individual, like myself (back then), making fun of others regardless of anyone elses actions, makes NO SENSE...I caused pain where love should've been!



As the message reads "yesterday is history" & "today is a gift", but I'd like to add "today is a gift...so share your gift w/ others, for they may need it more than you."



My reply to him posting this was...WOW Doug !!! TYSVM for putting this out there, and the work you have done on it sweetie !!! I hope and pray that it reaches every soul that God need's it to reach !!! There are so many children in this world suffering, and your right sweeti...e, sometime's just a word, smile or action can make ALL the difference in the world !!! I know he is screaming into the heart's and ear's of those that need to listen to him, the rest is up to them...but a little extra work from you and i, to say hey stop and think...dosen't hurt either !!! I love the Lord, and wanna do as he would want me to do ALWAYS !!! :) Love ya Doug !!! TYSVM for being such a blessing to all the live's you touch , you are a wonderful soul, and Wendy is a very blessed young woman !!!

Show all stories by   Author:  62813 ( Click here )