A story of books

The story

One day in my first year of high school, I saw a guy in my class carrying all, really all of his books home after school. His name was Etienne.

I said to myself : “Who can bring all his books home on a Friday? What an idiot ! »

I had a very busy weekend with my friends so I shrugged my shoulders and went on my way.

While walking, I saw a gang of young people running towards him. They made him lose his balance and he fell in the mud with all his books, losing his glasses. Etienne got up quietly but I could see the terrible sadness in his eyes.

Witnessing the scene, I felt my heart tighten and my throat knot. So I ran to join him.

He was looking for his glasses and I saw a tear running down his cheek.

I picked up his glasses and said to him: “These guys really are **** of the worst kind. They should be punished for what they did. »

He looked at me and thanked me with a wide smile on his lips, one of those smiles expressing sincere gratitude.

Helping her pick up her books, I realized we lived on the same street. So we went home together and hit it off all the way back. I then invited him to come and play football with my friends the next day, which he accepted. So we spent the weekend together and the more I got to know him, the more I liked him.

After 4 years, Etienne and I have become the best friends in the world. He was heading for medical studies and I for sport-study in football.

Etienne had become the "head" of the class, he was one of those who had found and asserted themselves during secondary school. He had taken his place and gave a good impression, he seemed fulfilled. He now had more dates than I did with the girls. They loved it and I was a little jealous! But despite that, I couldn't imagine my life without my friend.

For the graduation ceremony, he had prepared a “speech”.

Despite the stress, he started by clearing his throat, then launched: “Graduation is an important time to thank those who have helped you through tough times, your parents, your teachers, maybe your coach, but especially your friends. I'm here to tell you that to be someone's friend is to give them the greatest gift. I'll tell you a story about it. »

I looked at Etienne in amazement when he recounted the first day we had known each other. He had planned to kill himself that weekend. He said he had emptied his locker to save his mother from having to do so. That's why he was carrying around all those books! I never suspected it!

He looked me straight in the eyes and smiled at me: “Thank you for saving me! You protected me and prevented me from making a huge mistake! »

The crowd gasped. Everyone was left speechless when Etienne, the most handsome and popular guy in school, shared his saddest memories. I saw his parents looking at me with that same smile of gratitude that Etienne had.

That's when I realized all the sadness he had that day we met. It wasn't just because of the young criminals!

(Adapted version by an unknown author)

Reflection

I found this story very touching and rich because it brings us 2 lessons.

The first is that any gesture, no matter how small, can have a huge impact on the world around us. It may be just a smile or a little attention, but it's all these little things that make you enjoy life at its best. And even if your head can sometimes tell you the opposite, listen to your heart and you will not regret it because like the feedback, it's a real gift that you offer around you! 😉

The second is that we all go through difficult times, moments of doubt that make us grit our teeth and make us want to give up everything. And it's when you think you've hit rock bottom that you come across someone who, through his words, his generosity and his humility, will give us courage, new perspectives and who, without even knowing it, will fundamentally impact what we will become.

I confess to you that at the time when I write this text I am traversed by a surge of emotions, my heart tight, tears in my eyes. Indeed, about 3 years ago, when I saw the world as a set of closed doors, with no possible way out, I had the chance to cross paths with people who knew how to take a moment to show me the opportunities of life. They gave me faith in myself, in my dreams and made me who I am today.

Like Étienne, I too would like to thank and express my gratitude to these people from pass and here who gave me their time, believed in me, gave me my chance and trusted me. Without you, I would never have achieved what I have achieved, achieved what I have achieved, and never would have become what I have become. Thank you for giving me this gift which allows me today to live my passions and share them around me..

I also invite you to think about and thank those people who have one day impacted the course of your life. Why not reconnect and get together for a drink? I experienced this myself a few weeks ago. Despite my initial apprehension, it was with the simple pleasure of meeting and exchanging that I had the opportunity to see them again! Give yourself this gift too!

And even if it doesn't seem like much, experience sharing your smile every day around you: you never know, you could transform someone's life! 😉

Quotes

We need to find time to stop and thank the people who have made a difference in our lives.
― John F. Kennedy

It's the little details that are vital. Small things make big things happen.

―John Woode

Having gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.

―William Arthur Ward