Friends...(From my professors's website)

Dear Folks,

Just received the following heart-warming story from a friend in the "Ark Community" ( our Church in Shatin with almost half of the congregation notably disabled ). Apparently this is the Week of Friendship. Good to know we have friends around us.

Cheers
Arthur

>Subject: Friends...
>
> 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 mothers 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.
>
> Every little hello, every little smile, every helping hand saves a
> hurting heart. Pass it on. With this email also comes the token that
> says that YOU are special. There's a miracle called Friendship that
> dwells in the heart. You don't know how it happens Or when it gets
> started but, you know the special lift it always brings and you
> realize that Friendship Is God's most precious gift!
>
> It's National Friendship Week. Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed
> They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear,
> they share a word of praise, and they always want to open their heart
> to us. Show your friends how much you care.....Send this to everyone
> you consider a FRIEND, even the person that sent this to you. If it
> comes back to you, then you'll know you have a Friend for life. Show
> your friends how much you appreciate them and what they mean to you.
>
> Happy Friendship Week!!!