Differences Make Us Beautiful

Science of Compassion

High School was a new experience for Rami. He was used to very minimal classes, but now he has 8 different teachers. He had a couple friends he trusted thus far, which was a good feeling for sure. However, Oli was still his best friend. They have stuck together until this point, and seemed to make a very good pair.

After talking with him about their classes, he found out that they actually had 3 classes together throughout the day, so he knows that there will be someone there he can count on for a lot of the time. This brought him a lot of comfort. He was starting to come out of his shell, but was still very reclusive, and didn't like for things to change.

School had been going for a few weeks now. One of his favorite classes was biology. He had always been interested in science.

Rami sat in this class, and to top it off, this was one of the classes he had with Oli. They sat together, and would help each other whenever they could. Today, though, the teacher had planned a project where he divided everyone into groups. The teacher, Mr. Clawford, was a lion. But he was very soft-spoken and kind. Rami had no problems being around him.

"Rami, you will be paired with Tony and Craig." Mr. Clawford said.

This caused a commotion from the two. "Ewwww gross!" Craig said.

"Yeah, we're not working with that ugly dude! Pick someone else!" Tony demanded.

The teacher looked to them. "Excuse me? Who are you to tell me how to run my class?"

"Whatever, we'll let him do all the work. He obviously has extra time since no girl would want a piece of HIS gross-ass." the two laughed.

"That's it! Both of you! Leave my classroom. NOW!" The lion pointed to the door.

The two didn't hesitate. They quickly left the room, and Mr. Clawford turned back toward the goat, who was trying to hold himself together. "I'm sorry, Rami. Don't listen to them. Oli, will you take Rami into your group?"

The deer nodded, and Rami walked over.

"Oh, and Rami. See me after class is over, ok? You're not in trouble or anything." the lion said calmly, before returning to his desk and pulling out a couple green slips of paper, presumably writing up the two who loudly interrupted his class.

The class continued without a hitch. Rami was welcomed into the only group of four. The group split the assignment flawlessly. Everyone would do an equal amount of work, and they think this would be a great team.

At the end of class, everyone left the room to go to lunch. Rami stayed behind and waited for whatever Mr. Clawford had to say. Once the room was empty, he walked over to his desk and picked up his flower pot.

"Rami, I want you to look at this. What do you notice?" he asked.

The goat looked at the flowers for a moment. "Um, they're pansies?"

The lion nodded. "Well, yes. But that's not exactly what I was going for. You see how this one is a different color than the rest?"

Rami nodded.

"Is this one flower any less beautiful than the others?"

"N-No sir."

"Why is that?"

"Well, i-it's still a flower, and even though it's different, that doesn't mean it isn't beautiful." Rami said.

"Correct. You see, Rami, differences are what makes us beautiful. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Just because you may LOOK different, doesn't mean you aren't beautiful. Plus ..." He pulls up his sleeve to show Rami a birthmark on his arm. "We're all different. Nobody is perfect."

Rami felt a lump in his throat as he tried not to cry. "Y-Yes, sir." he said.

Rami left the classroom, and joined with his friends. This moment was something he would continue to think about for the rest of the day.

* * * * *

It's been a couple weeks since the day he had that discussion with his Biology teacher. He had been staying after class to help someone with work, so he was a bit late to lunch. Walking into the cafeteria, he could hear yelling. Looking over to the source, he saw a large warthog having some words with Oli.

Rami's heart dropped. He started to walk in that direction, and saw Oli be lifted in the air by his shirt. He could hear what was being said.

"You stupid coat rack! What's wrong? Rudolf's nose went out? Seems a little pale to me!"

Rami ran over, and without thinking, sent his fist right into the bully's right side. This caused him to drop Oli. Instead of checking his friend, he was filled with rage. He jumped the hog and brought him to the ground. The bully fought back, sending his closed fist into the side of Rami's head, temporarily sending him into a daze.

He blinked, and came to. He brought his forearm down on the throat of the hog.

"Don't EVER mess with my friend again! You hear me?!" he yelled in anger.

Before the warthog could answer, the goat was pulled off. He didn't even look back, his focus still on the rotund hog on the ground.

"Easy, Rami. I'm ok. Just calm down." came the voice of his friend, who had his arms around the goat's torso.

The hog got up and walked away from the table.

Oli spoke again. "You're lucky this school doesn't do anything about bullying, as much as they should." he straightened Rami's shirt.

Rami sighed. "I'm sorry. I was just-"

Oli hugged him. "Shhh, I know. I'm ok, don't worry. Thank you for trying to help."

Rami could feel himself starting to break. He didn't want his friend to see him cry, so he got up and ran to the bathroom. He went into one of the stalls and locked the door. The dam finally broke. It was building for a while, but he never let it happen. Always being told "You need to be a strong goat." and "Big goats don't cry."

Yet here he was. Sitting in a bathroom stall, crying like a little kid. He didn't even notice the door to the bathroom opening. He did hear the knock though.

"Rami?" it was Oli.

"O-Oli, please" he sniffled.

"I'll leave you alone, but just know ... it's ok to cry. Crying doesn't make you weak. I'll be outside if you need me." he walked back through the door.

Rami sat in that stall, and let out years worth of pent up emotion that he had held back for so long. This was something he needed to do, but could never work up the courage to do it. As it turns out ... big goats do cry.