“I Should Have Told You Years Ago”
This weekend was my 50th high school reunion, the photo is the evidence. To say it was an amazing experience was an understatement but it was topped off by something one of my classmates shared with me that happened over a half century ago. The truth is, I didn’t remember.
Stuart was a scrawny kid and was picked on sometimes so he relayed a story that I did not remember. Here is the short version. Near the school at the time there was a shooting range. We both happened to be there and some bully grabbed his glasses and through them out into the range. He told me that he was too embarrassed and scared to retrieve them, so I walked into the range to get them. Once I handed them to him I walked over to the bully not saying a word, just hauled off and gave him something to remember.
The bully was knocked out cold but was finally brought back by his buddies, who poured water on their friend. It’s not smart to mess with a farm boy that didn’t know his own strength. None of them seemed to be tough guys any longer. Stuart said I wish I had told you years ago but am not sure I could have conveyed it very well. “Let me share with you what you really did for me that day. First, no one ever picked on me again and for that I was grateful and second and the most important is there hasn’t been the day, that when someone needed a helping hand that I didn’t reach out my hand to help. It is always time for me to repay your kindness.”
I was literally in tears, as it was one of the most heartfelt gifts that I have ever received. It tells me it is all recorded in the book of life. You just don’t know the impact you will make in the life of another human being.
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