It’s cool to be kind.  A young man, Danny M. proved to me that expressing kindness to another person is a cool thing to do.  

Having been asked to go to the homecoming dance my sophomore year in high school was the highlight of my young life.  As a kid that was constantly bullied by boys and girls alike on a daily basis, it was a dream come true when a boy from my class did just that.  Only that dream came to a screeching halt when two days before the dance, the boy came up to me to explain that he couldn’t take me because his grandmother had gotten sick.  The truth was he had asked someone else to the dance.  

Having to swallow my pain and pride was hard to do.  I broke down the minute my mom drove up to get me from school.  To see her “beautiful” daughter believe and say she was too ugly to be some boys first choice was intolerable.  She allowed me the space to feel all those emotions that had been kept from others all day and when she had an opportunity to say it, she made her suggestion.  

She said, “Sylvia, you have two choices.  You can either become their victim by staying home or you can face them, put on your pretty dress and shoes you bought, and have the time of your life at that dance.  Either way, I love you and I’m proud of you.” After considering these choices, I made the brave decision to face them and go to that dance.  

Mom called a friend who had an older son, Danny M.  Despite being 3 years older than me, he decided it would be cool to be kind and take me to that dance.  The best part of the story was that we had the best time. We laughed, we joked, we danced all night.  

Danny M is an example to follow.  He was kind, generous, empowering, and a good friend.  You never know how you can positively impact someone’s life just by being kind.