数日前、アメリカの友人からフレンドシップについて書いてあるショートストーリーのメールが転送されて来ました。
転送メールはアメリカではよくあるようで、フレンドシップの話しやクリスチャンからのもの、ちょっと前は反戦署名などがよくまわって来ました。
前のアドレスの時は、外国からの商品の売り込みなどのDMメールがよく来ましたが、そういう時はほとんど削除しました。
今回は友人からですが、急用ではなさそうなので一日おいて読んでみました。
よんだらいい話しなのです。気に入ったので、メ－ルに書いてあるように何人かに転送しました。（英語なので興味のありそうな友に）
そしたら以下のようなメールをいただきました。
その１
This is a very good story! It’s something we all need to remindourselves about!
All relationships are a gift and you never can fuilly understand the importance!
Thank you for sending it to me! Please count me in the “circle!”
その２
吉野さん、私に転送して下さってありがとう！
その３
「let’s see if —」と題したメールがあなたから転送されてまいりましたがご承知のものでしょうか、最近のウイルス騒ぎで少々神経質になっておりますが。
このメールには、ちょっとびっくりしましたが”私が送ったものです、怪しいものではないと”返信しました。
そのストーリーの原文は以下です。興味のある方は読んで下さい。いっておきますが私は無宗教です。
（英語の苦手で興味のあるかた方は、不完全ですがウェブの翻訳ソフトや辞書をお試し下さい）
Let’s see if you send it back…?
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 we nt 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, 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 > 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 thi s 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. Wi th one small gesture you can change a person’s life. For better or for worse.
God puts us all in each other’s 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 remember ing how to fly.”
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.