yesterday my bio teacher told my class that you can't fix people, but you can show them affection.

when he was in high school, he started a relationship with a girl in his class. he did what any lovesick fool would do, he bought her flowers and chocolate. she reacted to this with questions, completely unaware that this was what was the cliche expected from a boyfriend. what he didn't know was that she lived in an abusive household.

one day when they were hanging out, her ex-boyfriend came over to collect a few of his old things (obviously just an excuse to see her). he too was abusive. my bio teacher was 18 at the time, his girlfriend was 17, and her ex-boyfriend was 16. she told my bio teacher that her ex-boyfriend would hit her and that he could not hit him because if they fought my bio teacher would be charged for offenses.

my bio teacher sat in the corner when her ex-boyfriend came over. He reflects that it was one of the most painful things he has watched.

their relationship didn't last, but he treated her well. the girlfriend later entered the navy and got her life back together. a few years later, she called him and thanked him. she had just gotten engaged and told him that she would have never known what true affection was if she never met him.

your actions can truly affect someone's life without even knowing by just being you.