Calgal

.....a friend sent me this today - I have seen it before, but it made me cry (again)...


A beautiful story.

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 the weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friend’s 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; and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, 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, too.

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 on Graduation day. I saw Kyle, and 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 story of 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.

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

Butch Cassidy

Very nice story BUT guys aren't meant to fill up SO please dont post anymore like that or my Reputation will totally phooked.

R2D2

I too have seen this story before, and it just highlights for me that tomorrow is always another day .

Calgal

Awwwwww Butch - how sweet! I think it already is

Calgal

A drunk man in an Oldsmobile
They said had run the light,

That caused the six-car pileup
On 109 that night.

When broken bodies lay about
And blood was everywhere,

The sirens screamed out eulogies,
For death was in the air.

A mother, trapped inside her car,
Was heard above the noise;

Her plaintive plea near split the air:
"Oh, God, please spare my boys!"

She fought to loosen her pinned hands;
She struggled to get free,

But mangled metal held her fast
In grim captivity.

Her frightened eyes then focused
On where the back seat once had been,

But all she saw was broken glass and
Two children's seats crushed in.

Her twins were nowhere to be seen;
She did not hear them cry,

And then she prayed they'd been thrown free,
"Oh, God, don't let them die! "

Then firemen came and cut her loose,
But when they searched the back,

They found therein no little boys,
But the seat belts were intact.

They thought the woman had gone mad
And was travelling alone,

But when they turned to question her,
They discovered she was gone.

Policemen saw her running wild
And screaming above the noise

In beseeching supplication,
"Please help me find my boys!"

"They're four years old and wear blue shirts;"
"Their jeans are blue to match".

One cop spoke up, "They're in my car,
and they don't have a scratch".

"They said their daddy put them there
And gave them each a cone,"

"Then told them both to wait for Mom
to come and take them home".

"I've searched the area high and low,
but I can't find their dad".

"He must have fled the scene,
I guess, and that is very bad."

The mother hugged the twins and said,
While wiping at a tear,

"He could not flee the scene, you see,
For he's been dead a year."

The cop just looked confused and
asked, "Now, how can that be true?"

The boys said, "Mommy, Daddy came"
and left a kiss for you."

"He told us not to worry
and that you would be all right",

"And then he put us in this car with
the pretty, flashing lights."

"We wanted him to stay with us,
because we miss him so, "

"But Mommy, he just hugged us tight"
and said he had to go".

"He said someday we'd understand
and told us not to fuss,"

"And he said to tell you, Mommy,"
he's watching over us."

The mother knew without a doubt
That what they spoke was true,

For she recalled their dad's last
words, "I will watch over you."

The firemen's notes could not explain
The twisted, mangled car,

And how the three of them escaped
Without a single scar.

But on the cop's report was scribed,
In print so very fine,

An angel walked the beat tonight on
Highway 109.

Butch Cassidy

Enough already.

Steve_P

I'm with Butch.

I get all soppy and it ruins my reputation as the forums "old git".

Alberta_Rose

This was inflicted on us last week at chorus, to make us sing with more feeling and emotion....

The background:
An elderly couple had been married for over 50 years when the wife fell ill, and was dying in hospital. The husband would not leave her side, nor take any rest and the wife was distressed as she knew he was exhausted. She told him she was comfortable and was going to sleep and he should get some rest too ... at last he relented and closed his eyes, and while he slept deeply she quietly slipped away.

When he woke and was distraught to find she had gone, he found a note by her side:
A song:

Softly, I will leave you softly

For my heart would break if you should wake and see me go

So I leave you softly, long before you miss me

Long before your arms can beg me stay

For one more hour or one more day

After all the years, I can't bear the tears to fall

So, softly as I leave you there



Softly, long before you kiss me

Long before your arms can beg me stay

For one more hour or one more day

After all the years, I can't bear the tears to fall

So, softly as I leave you there

As I leave I you there

As I leave I you there

************************************************** **

Well, having torn us all to shreds we had to sing it!

Alberta_Rose

Oh come on everybody .... sing along!!!! <evil grin>

Calgal

....but Miss - I don't know the tune

(I couldn't sing it anyway - I would get all choked up and cry, then I would sound worse than usual )

Alberta_Rose

It was sung by both Frank Sinatra and Elvis Presley. But yes, that's exactly what happened to us!

Bleech

You forgot to cut/paste the bit at the end.

...if you don't forward this email onto all your friends your family will die a horrible death involving snakes and burning oil etc etc

Cynical Bleech

Calgal

LOL yeah....but I figured plastering it all over a forum with over 35,000 members would more than make up for that

Bleech

Hehe does the email curse bit go away when you do that? Great idea! I've got loads of them

Voyager970

Another sad story

Eddie ( PS not usually the slushy type, but this touched a wee raw nerve )

Read This Slowly
Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often?

When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over, but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the coming ticket. A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.

"Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."

"Hello, Jack." No smile.

"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."

"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.

"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once."

Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?" "I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct ." Ouch. This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics.

"What'd you clock me at?"

"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"

"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as saw you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

"Please, Jack, in the car"

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window.

The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad.

Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?

Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

"Thanks." Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.

Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost?

Wait a minute. What was this? Some kind of joke?

Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:

"Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it- a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters, all three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again.

A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now. Pray for me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left." "Bob"

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.


Life is precious. Handle with care. This is an important message; please pass it along to your friends. Drive safely and carefully. Remember, cars are not the only things recalled by their maker.

May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. "I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."


Eddie ( filling up in one eye !!!!!!!!!! )