Connections.
Today I was reminded of a teenage guy I met during my DTS. His name isn't important but I want to share a bit of his story.
When I met him, I got told I was weird and ignored. From face value, he was an introvert who deliberately pushed people away as he had no interest in sharing his thoughts and life with anyone. He was about 13 and just starting high-school. Let's just say, he had worked his way into my heart by just breathing; I don't now why, but I give the credit to God.
I made the effort each time I saw him to go up to him and try at starting a conversation. The key word was try, sadly enough. All of my efforts seemed to crumble and I would just get stared at and told I was crazy. It didn't phase me though, so I would try again. After a few weeks he would pretty much refuse to acknowledge my existence. A cold silent treatment would great my optimistic "Hey mate!", I saw him pulling himself further away from everyone.
One week he had a tablet in his hands, eye intently on the screen. Over his shoulder I, surprisingly, recognized what he was watching. It was an anime serious called Death Note. I sat down next to him. His eyes looked up, fixing in a death stare at me.
"My gosh, that's an intense anime! Isn't it?"
He blinked. I continued.
"I've only seen a few episodes but that power Light Yagami holds is so crazy!"
His mouth dropped a little. I continued.
"At least he is using it for good, right? Even with L chasing him and all."
He stuttered a little as he replied to me for the first time that month. "Um, I guess. You know anime?"
Long story short, this guy started talking to me. I used Wiki to get up to date on the plot of his anime and each week we had a small conversation about it. It was the last time I was going to see him when he shared something with me I will never forget.
He was struggling with thoughts of suicide. His mind would tell him tricks and convince him no one cared. He believed that there was no one who understood him or his passions. Till that crazy red haired chick who wouldn't give up started talking anime.
I owe all I know about anime to one guy. In a way I now feel like I owe this kid's life to him too. Never doubt what the simplest connection can do to someone's life, never give up on them either.
Where is he now? Well, to him I'm back to being the crazy chick but he has an ever growing circle of support around him and he's gonna be changing the world one day.
God bless.
When I met him, I got told I was weird and ignored. From face value, he was an introvert who deliberately pushed people away as he had no interest in sharing his thoughts and life with anyone. He was about 13 and just starting high-school. Let's just say, he had worked his way into my heart by just breathing; I don't now why, but I give the credit to God.
I made the effort each time I saw him to go up to him and try at starting a conversation. The key word was try, sadly enough. All of my efforts seemed to crumble and I would just get stared at and told I was crazy. It didn't phase me though, so I would try again. After a few weeks he would pretty much refuse to acknowledge my existence. A cold silent treatment would great my optimistic "Hey mate!", I saw him pulling himself further away from everyone.
One week he had a tablet in his hands, eye intently on the screen. Over his shoulder I, surprisingly, recognized what he was watching. It was an anime serious called Death Note. I sat down next to him. His eyes looked up, fixing in a death stare at me.
"My gosh, that's an intense anime! Isn't it?"
He blinked. I continued.
"I've only seen a few episodes but that power Light Yagami holds is so crazy!"
His mouth dropped a little. I continued.
"At least he is using it for good, right? Even with L chasing him and all."
He stuttered a little as he replied to me for the first time that month. "Um, I guess. You know anime?"
Long story short, this guy started talking to me. I used Wiki to get up to date on the plot of his anime and each week we had a small conversation about it. It was the last time I was going to see him when he shared something with me I will never forget.
He was struggling with thoughts of suicide. His mind would tell him tricks and convince him no one cared. He believed that there was no one who understood him or his passions. Till that crazy red haired chick who wouldn't give up started talking anime.
I owe all I know about anime to one guy. In a way I now feel like I owe this kid's life to him too. Never doubt what the simplest connection can do to someone's life, never give up on them either.
Where is he now? Well, to him I'm back to being the crazy chick but he has an ever growing circle of support around him and he's gonna be changing the world one day.
God bless.
Comments
Post a Comment