A chilling, cool breeze quickly filled the air at Fenway Park and the game was tied at one, in the bottom of the eighth. It was my first Red Sox game as an eight-year-old and excitement came upon us as David Ortiz came up to the plate with the bases loaded. The game was slow and monotonous for the most part, but my father and grandfather anticipated that “Big Papi” was going to make something happen.

Before we knew it, Papi was down 0-2 in the count and needed to make a move immediately. The very next pitch came down the center of the plate. As soon as the bat made contact with the ball, it spiraled towards us in the twentieth row of the grandstands and the three of us braced ourselves. Fans around us clustered for the ball, then a fourteen-year-old boy sitting next to me reached out his glove and grabbed the ball; Tears started to run down my face. At first, the boy seemed delighted to have a foul ball hit by David Ortiz, but then had made a more serious look that appeared to be on his face. While I wasn’t looking, he slipped the ball on my lap and told me I could keep it.

The boy told me that I deserved the ball more then he did and casually returned to his conversation with his father. The three of us were all shocked and we didn’t know what to say. For the rest of the game, I held onto the ball tight and was careful not to lose it. The moment when that fourteen-year-old boy gave me the ball was a short-lived moment and I have remembered it for ten years. I never learned the name of that boy, but he inspired me to follow his steps and be like him; hopefully I can remember him for the rest of my life.

“I believe that recognizing the importance of giving, rather than receiving, can make me become a better and more confident person.” This statement has stuck with me for the last ten years of my life and it will be with me for a very long time. The boy who gave me the ball at the Red Sox game taught me that giving can be more important than receiving and that others may need things more than you do. For this past decade, I have dedicated myself to be more like him by going out of my way to do generous things for people such as the elderly, family, or friends.  Another small thing I believe in is that making somebody’s day can make me feel better about myself and more confident on the inside.

Ever since that incident at Fenway Park, I was no longer that selfish, immature child who wouldn’t share with anybody at the lunch table. There are many generous things I have done in the past that have given benefits to other people. For example, I have volunteered at soup kitchens where I served food to the elderly for many hours. In addition, I work at a concession stand at Patriot games every year - on behalf of a non-profit. When not participating in service opportunities, I often do little things for people, such as helping them with their homework or even something small like giving them a small piece of candy. One boy has positively changed my life from one instant and it will have an effect on me for the rest of my life.