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{Straight From the Heart} *Eighteen Years Late* 7/21/00
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Eighteen Years Late
By: Michael T. Powers
Thunder27@aol.com
Junior High.
Probably the worst time in a young person's life. A time when your
body is changing in ways you never thought possible, and you spend
most of your time trying to fit in a mold that your peers have formed
for you. Gone are the days of Elmer's glue, crayons, and the tiny
scissors with the rounded edges. (Yes, they trust you with the
sharp-edged scissors in Jr. High.) From here on out, you have your
own locker, you carry your books to each class, and you start making
your own decisions on which classes to take. Oh yeah, I almost forgot.
They make you take showers in front of your peers! Naked!!!!!!!
AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!
But what I remember most about Jr. High was the incredible pain and
heartache that students inflicted on one another with their words and
actions. There were students who seemed to have it all together, and
made those around them feel as if they didn't measure up. But I'll
let you in on a little secret. Those who make a habit of ripping on
others, have a terrible self-image. In fact, they are usually a
totally different person from the one they present to the outside
world. In order to make themselves feel better, they tear others
down. You can bank on that. Those who are comfortable with
themselves, have no need to rip on others. In fact, they will take
time to build others up. A sure sign of a good self-image.
I didn't have the best self-image in Jr. High, and there were two
things that I fell back on to be accepted during my Jr. High years:
athletics and humor. I have always been a decent athlete, which
brought a certain confidence and comfort level in my life. And I
have always been able to make people laugh. But at times the laughter
came at another's expense, and most times I didn't fully realize what
I was doing to the self-images of those around me. Especially to one
young girl in particular…
Her name was Tracy and she had a crush on me. But instead of nicely
letting her know that I wasn't interested in her, I got caught up in
trying to be funny, with her being the brunt of my jokes. I am
ashamed now to think of how I treated her in 7th grade. I went out
of my way to make things miserable for her. I made up songs about
her, and even wrote short stories in which I had to save the world
from Tracy the evil villain.
But that all changed about half way through the year. Mr. Greer, my
physical education teacher, came up to me one day.
"Hey Mike, you got a second?"
"Sure Mr. Greer!" I said.
(Everybody loved Mr. Greer, and I looked up to him like a father.)
"Mike, I heard a rumor that you were going around picking on Tracy?"
He paused and looked me straight in the eye. It seemed like an
eternity before he continued.
"You know what I told the person I heard that from? I told them it
couldn't possibly be true. The Mike Powers I know, would never treat
another person like that. Especially a young lady."
I gulped, but said nothing.
He gently put his hand on my shoulder and said, "I just thought you
should know that."
Then he turned and walked away without a backward glance. Leaving me
to my thoughts.
From that day on I stopped picking on Tracy.
I knew that the rumor was true, and that I had let my role-model down
by my actions. But more importantly it made me realize how badly I
must have hurt this girl and others whom I had made life difficult for.
It was probably a couple of months later, before I fully realized the
incredible way in which Mr. Greer handled the problem. He not only
made me realize the seriousness of my actions, but he did it in a way
which helped me to save some of my pride. My respect and love for him
grew even stronger after that.
I don't think I ever apologized to Tracy for my hurtful words and
actions. She moved away the next year and I never saw her again.
While I was very immature as a seventh grader, I should have known
better. In fact I did know better, but it took the wisdom of my
favorite teacher to bring it out into the light.
So Tracy, if you're out there, I am truly sorry for the way that I
treated you and I ask for your forgiveness. Something I should have
done 18 years ago.
Michael T. Powers
Thunder27@aol.com
Copyright © 2000 by Michael T. Powers, All rights reserved
Send me an email and let me know what you thought of this story!
To read more about Mr. Greer and what he has meant to thousands of
students, check out the following website:
Heroes Among Us
http://www.themestream.com/gspd_browse/browse/view_article.gsp?c_id=113859&id_list=113859,76491,67512,57324
Michael is happily married to his high school sweetheart Kristi, and
has two boys: Caleb (Who just turned 5 years old) and Connor (Who
will be 2 in a week or so). He is currently working on a book
tentatively called, "Daddyhood," and several of his stories have
been published, most notably, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Alice Gray's
Stories From the Heart series, and the expected national best-seller,
Heartwarmers, available in bookstores now.
Michael owns a video production business, coaches high school
girls' sports, and is the founder of "Straight From the Heart," a
free daily E-Zine on the Internet that features inspirational and
uplifting stories, often by published writers. To subscribe send an
email to: Thunder27@aol.com
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REQUESTS & UPDATE:
From: JANDIP19@ol.com
Michael-
I noticed at the end of the ezine every morning you have people that
request prayers. I have never done this before, but I have just found
out the my children's "nanny" ( she watches them when I'm not home but
won't accept a dollar from us, and since my children are 11 and almost
9 the term babysitter is unpleasent to them), anyway I rambled there,
she has recently found out that she has breast cancer. She will most
likely lose the one breast. Would it be possible for the readers to
say a little something for her? She is a lovely woman and I can't
beleive that she has to go through this.
Andi
*********
From: WEN1742@aol.com
Please everyone pray for my cousin in Arkansas. Her 9 year old son
drowned last Saturday while on a boy scout camping trip and she along
with the rest of the family are coping with this terrible loss.
Thanks a bunch.
Wendy
***********
Update on Kim who is having back surgery
From: jaimie_ann@hotmail.com (Jaimie W)
Hi...here is the update on mom...
She made it through the spinal tap just fine, she was having a nasty
headache from that but from 10 am to current mom has had NO back pain.
She's been up and about, walking around since they injected the morphine in
her this morning, I can barely ever remember her getting around like she is
now. So it looks like things are working out wonderfully. Her surgery is
scheduled for early afternoon tomorrow, 2ish. Thank you all for your
prayers and happy thoughts, they mean the world to us. Looks like our
prayers are finally being answered.
Thanks again.
God Bless,
Jaimie
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Thought For The Day:
"The past should be a springboard, not a hammock."
(Ivern Ball)
Verse for the Day:
"Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will increase greatly."
Job 8:7
Kid's Thought For The Day:
"It can't hurt to ask for a fourth wish."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"When the phone rings, it's for your teenager. When the phone bill
arrives, it's for you."
(Bruce Lansky)
Coach's Thought For The Day
"A decade after graduation, almost everyone will have forgotten when
and where and what they played. But every time they speak, everyone
will know whether they are educated."
(Theodore Hesburgh)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"When their numbers dwindled from 50 to 8, the other dwarves began
to suspect Hungry."
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/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com http://members.aol.com/Thunder27/index.html
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
Video Imagery (Michael's Video Production Business)
"I thought of you first after my family sat down to watch the video
we gave them. They loved it, to say the least! Within thirty
seconds my mom was crying and my dad did too. They said it was
the best Christmas gift we could have given them!! You did such
a beautiful job! They were so suprised and so touched---they
really, really, really loved it. Thanks for helping to make it so
special to us all. My mom mentioned how the songs were perfect for
the video too! Thanks again!"
Kelli (RKaGe@aol.com) College Station, TX
Let me make you a video from your pictures or home movies!
Check out the web page for Michael's video production business!
Video Imagery
http://members.aol.com/Videoimg/index.html