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 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 ribbon 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.
> > > You are under no obligation to send this on to
> anyone...not to two people or to two hundred. As far
> as I am concerned, you can delete it and move
> > on to the next message. But if you have anyone who
> means a lot to you, I encourage you to send him or
> her this message and let them know. You never
> know what kind of difference a little encouragement
> can make to a person. Send it to all of the people who
> mean anything important to you, or send it
> to the one, two, or three people who mean the most. Or
> just smile and know that someone thinks that you are
> important, or you wouldn't have received
> this in the first place.
> > >
> > > Remember that!
> > >
> > > I give you a blue ribbon.
> > >
> > > WHO YOU ARE MAKES A DIFFERENCE, AND I WANTED YOU
> TO KNOW THAT!!
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