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Letter: Thanks to teenagers

By Staff | Apr 2, 2003

I never realized how inconsiderate our society has become until my grandmother had to start using a wheelchair to get around. It is very frustrating to see obviously healthy people park in the handicapped parking to save a few seconds going into the grocery store. Or when people watch you struggling to get through a door and do nothing to help.

I would like to share a short story about five teenagers that showed me that there are still a few people out there that respect and compassion are still important. At the talent show for Cystic Fibrosis, in a packed house, my daughter reserved two seats for my grandmother and I. Unfortunately, the people behind us couldn’t see, so we wanted to move, but the only other appropriate place to sit was occupied by five teenagers (one I knew, two I knew their names, and two I didn’t know). I asked them if they would mind moving so that my grandmother would have someplace to sit so that the other people around us could see. Every one of those kids gave up their seats for us! No dirty looks, no disgust in their voices — they just moved with smiles on their faces. I don’t even know if they found another place to sit because the auditorium was so full.

I would like to thank them for what they did. It may not seem like a big deal to some, but it meant a great deal to me, and I’m sure the people around us. It’s encouraging to know that we still have polite, considerate young people in our community that can be role models for not just other teens, but for some adults too.

Michelle DeVeau,

Tonganoxie.