>WHO I AM MAKES A DIFFERENCE
>
>The good we do, we often cannot see the end result but we should
>persist in
>doing it because in surprising ways that may be the only way we show
>that
>"Who I am makes a difference".
>
>
>WHO I AM MAKES A DIFFERENCE
>
>A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her
>seniors in high school by telling them the difference
>they each made.
>
>She called each student to the front
>of the class, one at a time. First she told each of
>them how they had made a difference to her and the class.
>
>Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon
>imprinted with gold letters, which read, "Who I Am
>Makes a Difference."
>
>Afterwards the teacher decided to do a class project
>to see what kind of impact recognition would have on a
>community.
>
>She gave each of the students three more
>ribbons and instructed them to go out and spread this
>acknowledgment ceremony. Then they were to follow up
>on the results, see who honored whom and report back
>to the class in about a week.
>
>One of the boys in the class went to a junior executive
>in a nearby company and honored him for helping him
>with his career planning.
>
>He gave him a blue ribbon and put it on his shirt.
>Then he gave him two extra ribbons and said,
>"We're doing a class project on recognition,
>and we'd like you to go out find somebody to honor,
>give them a blue ribbon, then give them the extra blue
>ribbons so they can acknowledge a third person to keep
>this acknowledgment ceremony going. Then please report
>back to me and tell me what happened."
>
>Later that day the junior executive went in
>to see his boss, who had been noted, by the way, as
>being kind of a grouchy fellow. He sat his boss down
>and he told him that he deeply admired him for being a
>creative genius.
>
>The boss seemed very surprised. The junior executive
>asked him if he would accept the gift of the blue
>ribbon and would he give him permission to put it on
>him. His surprised boss said, "Well, sure." The junior
>executive took the blue ribbon and placed it right on
>his boss's jacket above his heart.
>
>As he gave him the last extra ribbon, he said, "Would
>you do me a favor? Would you take this extra ribbon
>and pass it on by honoring somebody else?
>
>The young boy who first gave me the ribbons is doing
>a project in school and we want to keep this recognition
>ceremony going and find out how it affects people."
>
>That night the boss came home to his 14-year-old son
>and sat him down. He said, "The most incredible thing
>happened to me today. I was in my office and one of
>the junior executives came in and told me he admired me
>and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius.
>
>Imagine. He thinks I'm a creative genius. Then he put
>this blue ribbon that says: "Who I Am Makes a Difference,
>on my jacket above my heart. He gave me an extra
>ribbon and asked me to find somebody else to
>honor.
>
>As I was driving home tonight, I started
>thinking about whom I would honor with this ribbon
>and I thought about you.
>
>I want to honor you. My days are really hectic and when
>I come home I don't pay a lot of attention to you.
>Sometimes I scream at you for not getting good enough
>grades in school and for your bedroom being a mess, but
>somehow tonight, I just wanted to sit here and, well, just
>let you know that you do make a difference to me.
>Besides your mother, you are the most important
>person in my life. You're a great kid and I love you!"
>
>The startled boy started to sob and sob, and he
>couldn't stop crying. His whole body shook. He looked
>up at his father and said through his tears,
>
>"Dad, earlier tonight I sat in my room and wrote a
>letter to you and Mom explaining why I had killed myself and
>asking you to forgive me. I was going to commit
>suicide tonight after you were asleep. I just didn't
>think that you cared at all. The letter is upstairs.
>I don't think I need it after all."
>
>His father walked upstairs and found a heartfelt letter
>full of anguish and pain. The envelope was addressed,
>"Mom and Dad."
>
>The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no
>longer a grouch but made sure to let all his employees
>know that they made a difference. The junior executive
>helped several other young people with career planning
>and never forgot to let them know that they made a
>difference in his life...one being the boss's son.
>
>And the young boy and his classmates learned a
>valuable lesson. Who you are DOES make difference.
>
It does make a diffrence who you are and how you act...Remember think before you act....You just may save a life.
Ns38"
