Souvenir

Sympónia

The first time they met, those eyes were sincere and full of curiosity.

Now though as she looks at him,  there's anger, hurt, and a hint of pity.

Behind his cold icy walls, she knew love was still there.

Slowly, she would put down those walls, bring back his joy and kindness.

She wanted to help, but he won't let her.

"Life isn't fair sometimes", is all he says.

Accused and shunned all his life, for things he never did.

Each day he was embarrassed, each day he got bullied.

Blood smeared on his lips, scars marred half his face.

Still, she managed to look beyond.

And took him within her warm embrace.

That day he got badly beaten,

But they went unpunished 

Insted of those guilty, the blame went to him.

Suspended again, wrongly blamed

The rage inside he can not contain.

That was the last straw, the torture had been enough.

Him being good-hearted, they call a facade.

They wanted tough, he would now be tough.

For all he went through, he would make them pay.

Change doesn't come on its own, rather it has to be made.

The following day, he entered the class with a gun concealed

His expression lost its kindness, 

The rage, the hatred that he had, 

Further increased his blindness.

He pulled out the gun, aiming at the first person he could see.

At first they thought, "A joke, maybe??"

Then they reconsidered, seeing his eyes.

Devoid of emotion, devoid of friendliness.

The whole atmosphere turned quiet, as they all stood trembling.

He asked "I got hit each time, got called names"

What did I ever do? What did I ever seek?

Now look, What you forced me to be."

Then he felt a hand on his shoulder,

Turning around, he saw her

Smiling sadly at him,

Not out of fear, nor forced.

That smile was genuine.

She held his face, asking softly

"For the actions of a few, would you judge all so harshly?"

He stepped back looking away, "Everyone here hurt me,

 When all I did was try to be a friend.

The beatings, being made fun of. 

Seemingly never had an end."

They cut me, hurt me in every way they could try

The rest just stood there, ignoring me.

Ignoring the hideous torture, occuring in front of their eyes."

He lowered the gun then looked at her again, 

This time her tears were falling.

Before he could say anything, she put her arms around him.

She whispered,

"You noticed all that hate, never considering those who cared.

Look in my eyes, did I hurt you? 

There were people who helped you, reached out to you each day.

Did they hurt you too??"

He again looked at the crowd, closely this time.

He remembered a few familiar faces.

Each time he fell, they gave him a hand.

They didnt seem to be afraid,

Rather they seemed to understand.

He now dropped the weapon, 

Almost immediately his friends hugged him.

'She' held him saying into his ears,

"There are people who always care, 

No matter how hard and hopeless, life may seem."

Now, years have gone since. 

He thinks about those times. 

The way she never made him fake a smile.

Made him feel wanted, made him feel loved.

His trauma had healed, his scars had faded.

He accepted their guilt, forgave everything.

His life he no longer hated.

The same story he still describes, even after all this time.

"One act of sympathy and passion saved all those lives, 

Though  I risked her own life that day, she helped save mine."

Inspired by a true story, of a man who almost commited a school shooting due to bullying but a friend convinced him otherwise. One act of compassion no matter how small, can have an impact on the lives of those around us.