A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her seniors in High

School by telling them the difference each of them had 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 blue 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 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 aclass project on recognition, and

we'd like for 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 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 am a creative genius! Then he put a 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 hectic and when I come home, I do not 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.

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 could not 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 took my life, and I asked

you to forgive me. I was going to commit suicide tonight after you were

asleep. I just did not 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 boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a grouch,

but made sure to let all of 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' son. In addition, the

young boy and his classmates learned a valuable lesson, "Who you are

DOES make a difference"

You are under no obligation to pass this on to anyone... not to two

people, or to two hundred. As far as I am concerned, you can forget it

and move on. On the other hand, if you want, you could send it to all

of the people who mean something to you, or send it to the one, two, or

three people who mean the most. On the other hand, just smile and know

that I think that you are important, or you would not have received

this in the first place. Who you are does make a difference, and I

wanted you to know that.