Humble and Kind By: MaKayleigh Lackey

“That was the dumbest answer I’ve ever heard! Maybe you should be in the CDC classes!” The hateful comment resounded throughout the room, dripping malice from every syllable. My friend, trying to make a joke, had uttered something so hurtful that it had shattered my heart. The students around him laughed, too afraid to comment on his rudeness. The room seemed to close in around me. My brain screamed not to confront my friend, but my heart was saying stand up for the CDC students who were not there to defend themselves. It felt like I had been drowning in a cold sweat for hours before I finally spoke up.

“Being in the CDC classes doesn’t mean being dumb. That wasn’t a very nice thing to say.” As the last word rolled off my tongue, I felt an overwhelming sense of relief wash over me. My classmates sat in embarrassed silence, marveling at my bravery.

Although it was extremely hard to stand up to a friend, I knew in my heart that I had done the right thing. After this confrontation, I began noticing snide comments like this throughout every class and hallway. My heart grew more fragmented after each comment I heard from my peers. That first, fateful afternoon faded to the back of my mind, but stayed ever so present in my heart. I was soon blessed with an opportunity to share my set of ethics with my school: designing a video for our CDC students. This video would stress the importance of treating the CDC students equally. I pounced on the offer and took on the role of master video-editor. My days brimmed with happiness as I constructed the video until its finish.

On the day we presented this to my fellow students, my body ached with nervousness. Would they receive the intended message? Every fiber of my being craved for my schoolmates to realize the comments they were making hurt the CDC students. As the video began playing, the audience, consisting of my entire school, grew hushed. They continued watching in eager anticipation for the next scene, laughing along with the fun moments shared in the video. As the perfect song played in the background of the video, “Humble and Kind” by Tim McGraw, I realized my fellow students were enraptured with the magnitude of what this video was showing. The lyrics corresponded perfectly not only with the video’s message, but with my personal set of ethics as well. “Hold the door, say please, say thank you. Don't steal, don't cheat, and don't lie. I know you’ve got mountains to climb, but always stay humble and kind.”

The message Tim McGraw conveyed through his tragically beautiful song was transferred exceptionally well to my classmates. By creating this video, I successfully showed the students at my school how to properly treat others by sharing my personal set of ethics with them. This opportunity helped me to grow as a person, and I cannot be more thankful.