Just A Little Smile

Here's a story I found as I was browsing. Somehow I felt this story should be shared to everyone to remind them of the simple things in life. With our ever-growing population, things become more complicated. People become too busy and they forget about the simplest things that make them happy. Sometimes they also miss a lot of chances to make things right, only because they become too preoccupied with the pleasures of life that blinds them.

JUST A LITTLE SMILE

Mark was walking home from school one day when he noticed the boy ahead of him had tripped and dropped all of the books he was carrying, along with two sweaters, a baseball bat, a glove and a small tape recorder. Mark knelt down and helped the boy pick up the scattered articles. Since they were going the same way, he helped to carry part of the burden. As they walked Mark discovered the boy's name was Bill, that he loved video games, baseball and history, and that he was having lots of trouble with his other subjects and that he had just broken up with his girlfriend.

They arrived at Bill's home first and Mark was invited in for a Coke and to watch some television. The afternoon passed pleasantly with a few laughs and some shared small talk, then Mark went home. They continued to see each other around school, had lunch together once or twice, then both graduated from junior high school. They ended up in the same high school where they had brief contacts over the years. Finally the long awaited senior year came and three weeks before graduation, Bill asked Mark if they could talk.

Bill reminded him of the day years ago when they had first met. "Did you ever wonder why I was carrying so many things home that day?" asked Bill. 

"You see, I cleaned out my locker because I didn't want to leave a mess for anyone else. I had stored away some of my mother's sleeping pills and I was going home to commit suicide. But after we spent some time together talking and laughing, I realized that if I had killed myself, I would have missed that time and so many others that might follow. So you see, Mark, when you picked up those books that day, you did a lot more. You saved my life."

There are many people in this world that needs help. Sometimes you don't know you've already helped someone, but your good deeds will have it's reward one way or another. Suicide is one of the most difficult things in life that needs special attention. People who have committed suicide will never be understood. The letters and remembrances don't mean so much when you're gone. It is very important for us and the future generation to understand that committing suicide is not the best way to solve any problem. It is actually the beginning of suffering. 

People just need to learn how to really care for other people and everything around them. Of course, learning to care in the most sincere way. If you can touch someone's life today, do so. The days are passing by really quickly. The next thing you know, it might just be too late.