Every school has them. The loner. The “outsider.” The person no one else talks to. Along with these people comes the myth that if you associate with people such as this you will damage your reputation. Really? While I was in New York a while back I read a story about a boy that would say otherwise :
A city bus pulls up to a bus stop. Three teenagers get on and sit towards the back of the bus. Winter time, 20 degrees, snow is on the ground. The bus makes another stop. A homeless lady gets on. She reaches down into her torn apron, pulls out some change to pay and then sits towards the back of the bus where the 3 teenagers are. Two of the three teenager start making fun of the fact that the lady had no shoes on. She had rags wrapped around her feet to keep them warm. “Hey lady,” one boy said. “Where did you get those shoes, J.C. Garbage?” Both boys laugh. The third boy got up, looked at his friends, and then walked over to the lady. He paused for a moment bent down, took off his brand new sneakers that he just bought and then handed them to the lady saying, “here lady, you need these more that I do.” His friends went crazy. “Man, what are you nuts!!?” one shouted. “They cost $85. Why you giving them to that old lady!!!?” The boy said nothing. The bus stopped, the boy glanced over at his friends, then got off the bus in his stocking feet, in the snow, in the 20 degree weather and walked 8 city blocks to his apartment. His feet must have froze.
Do you think the boy in this story damaged his reputation in any way? Maybe to a couple of self-centered “coconuts” who claim to be friends but in reality would turn on you in an instant. But the truth is, this boys’ reputation wasn't damaged at all, it was enhanced BIG TIME if not to others, to, more importantly, himself. It’s true what they say, “The strongest person in the world is he who stands alone.” I hope you remember this the next time you see someone in your school who can use a little compassion.
Do you have the courage to stand alone? I say "courage" because in situations such as this, chances are good you will be standing alone. I guess that's why they call people such as this "heroes."
Dan Celentano has worked with a variety of at risk kids for close to
30 years. He is author of a book for teenagers entitled
Ten Essential Facts of Life Every Teenager Should
Know ( see www.teenage-book.com ), and gives advice to teenagers
on his web site www.choicesforteens.com In addition to this, Mr.
Celentano speaks to high school students on various issues having to
do with teenagers. Currently Dan is preparing for his next project
which is working with blind children on his ranch.
Dan Celentano is available for freelance writing and can be contacted
at ranch@copper.net.
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