As the sun set, a slight chill filled the air on this October evening, evident only because of the misty clouds cast into the air with each exhale of excited applause . The sound of these cheers can undoubtedly be heard from two counties away as it penetrates the night air, laced with the adrenaline-pumping melodies of an award-winning marching band. If they are unable to hear us, they will surely notice the glow penetrating from the strategically placed towers equipped with rows of large fluorescent bulbs that force daylight into the night sky. Finally, as the crowd's excitement reaches a decibel loud enough to cause a dull ringing in the ear, a parade of men in blue shirts bursts into the stadium from the other side of the pitch. It must be Friday night here in Madisonville, Texas. Anyone who has ever seen the popular sitcom or movie hit Friday Night Lights is familiar with life in Small-town, Texas: conservative traditions accompanied by conservative values ​​and very little room for outside influence. From childhood, we begin to master the same conservative values ​​as our parents as they learned them from their parents. Most never think to question such values ​​as we strive to fit into acceptable guidelines to avoid being seen as “different.” Being perceived as such comes with the guarantee of being a social outcast, met with constant ridicule. Understandably, it is virtually unheard of for someone to intentionally act in a way that intentionally causes such a perception. It seems like every new school year you're met with a new face of two meandering through the hallways, clearly not used to Small-town, Texas. A new face especially at the beginning of my freshman year of high school would be… middle of the paper… the perception of an individual. Occasionally more effort is needed, but it tends not to extend beyond opening lines of communication. As I embark on my senior year of high school here in Madisonville, Texas, I am proud to announce that Jason is no longer a victim of teasing or bullying. He and I may not be close friends, but I will forever be grateful for what he allowed me to know about myself without ever speaking to me. It is because of him that I can proudly embrace that I was able to find the courage to live the teachings of Muhammed Ghandi: "You must be the change you wish to see in the world." Without this courage, I would have deprived many of my closest friends of the experience of embracing something new and different, and of the rewards of developing a friendship with someone they would never have considered worthy of their conversation..