After all the holiday gifts are opened, and the turkey is nothing but a memory, a new year will begin and school will once again commence. For some kids, there is nothing but fear to look forward to when they go back to class.
Each of us can give one more gift to someone who needs help, just by reaching out. Think of it as a belated Christmas gift to a kid that needs a friend. Just imagine the good that could be done if even half the students in the world made the choice to say "Hi!" and make friends with one fellow student they'd never spoken to.
That kid that most don't notice, or the one that's a little awkward, or seems to try too hard to make friends. How about the kid that has a radically different style, or doesn't speak your language quite as well as they'd like to. You could learn about a point of view you've never considered, or a culture very different from your own. You might find that the "weird" kid that dresses odd is actually a talented artist or that the girl no one speaks to actually has a wonderful sense of humour. You never can tell what you might gain from a new friendship, it's the gift that keeps on giving, and both of you win.
Let's declare 2013 as The Year Of Decency And Respect! Each of us can try to make just one person a bit happier, or one small place in the world a little better. It's time we made decency and manners cool again; to make respect and honesty our guiding principles. Rise up from the mire of cynicism and drama by showing the world that it's cool to be kind. In the end, we'll all gain from it, and the world just may be a better place. That's truly the spirit of the season all year round.
