Who I am Makes a Difference...

     A teacher in New York, decided to honour each of her seniors in High School by tellling 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 student three more blue ribbons, and instructed them to go out and spread this acknowledgement 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 a class project on recognition, and we'd like for you to go out, find some one to honour, and give them a blue ribbon.

     Later that day, the junior executive went into see his boss, who had a reputation of being kind of a grouchy fellow. He told him that he deeply admired him for being a creative genius. The boss said, "Well sure." The junior executive took one of the blue ribbons and placed it right on his boss's jacket, above his heart, and then he asked, offering him the last ribbon, "Would you take this extra ribbon, and pass it on by honouring somebody else?... the teenager who gave me these is doing a school project, and we want to keep this ribbon cermony going and see how it affects people."

     That night, the boss came home and sat down with his 14 years old son. He said, "The most incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office, and one of my employees came in and told me he admired me, and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius. Imagine ! He thinks I am creative genius ! Then he put a blue ribbon on me that says, "Who I am Makes a Difference." 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 who I would honour with this ribbon, and I thought about you. I want to honour you.....My days are hectic and when I come home, I don't pay a lot of attention to you. I yell at you for not getting good enough grades and for your messy bedroom. 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 took my life, and I asked 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'll 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 many other young people with career planning, one being the boss' son, and never forgot to let them know that they made a difference in his life.
     In addition, the young boy and his classmates learned a valuable lesson : "Who you are DOES make a difference."


     I'm passing the blue ribbon to you  ;)

Footprints...

     One night I had a dream. I dreamed I was walking along the beach with GOD... and across the sky flashed scenes of my life. For each scene I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand... one belonged to me and the other to GOD.

     When the last scene of my life flashed in the sand, I noticed that at times along the path of life there was only one set of footprints. I also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of my life. This really bothered me and I questioned GOD about it.

     "GOD, you said that once I decided to follow you, you would walk with me all the way. But I noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life there is only one set of footprints. I don't understand why. In times when I needed you most, you would leave me."

     GOD replied, " My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never ever leave you during your times of trials and sufferings. When you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you."
 
  

True Love...

       It was a busy morning, approximately 8.30 am,  when an elderly gentleman in his 80's arrived to have stitches removed from his thumb. He stated that he was in hurry as he had an appointment at 9.00 am.

     I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him. I saw him look at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

     On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redness his wound.

     While taking care of his wound, we began to engage in conversation. I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

     I then inquired as to her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease.

     As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him in five years now.

     I was surprised,  and asked him, "And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?"

     He smiled as he patted my hand and said, "She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is." I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, "That is the kind of love I want in my life."

     True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be , and will not be.



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The Bamboo And The Fern Story...

     One day I decided to quit... I quit my job, my relationship , my spirituality... I wanted to quit my life.  I went to the woods to have one last talk with God.
      "God, I said,  "Can you give me one good reason not to quit?"
 His answer surprised me...
      "Look around," He said, "Do you see the fern and the bamboo?"
      "Yes, I replied. "
     "When I planted the fern and the bamboo seeds, I took very good care of them. I gave them light, I gave them water. The fern quickly grew from the earth. Its brilliant green covered the floor. Yet nothing came from the bamboo seed. But I did not quit on the bamboo. In the second year the fern grew more vibrant and plentiful. And again, nothing came from the bamboo." He said, "In the third year, there was still nothing from the bamboo seed. But I would not quit. In the fourth year, again,  there was nothing from the bamboo seed. I would not quit." He said, "Then in the fifth year a tiny sprout emerged from the earth. Compared to the fern, it was seemingly small and insignificant. But just  6 months later the bamboo rose to over 100 feet tall. It had spent the five years growing roots. Those roots made it strong and gave it what it needed to survive. I would not give any of my creations a challenge it could not handle," He said to me.
     "Did you know , my child, that all this time you have been struggling, you have actually been growing roots. I would not quit on the bamboo. I will never quit on you. Don't compare yourself to others." He said. "The bamboo had a different purpose than the fern, yet, they both make the forest beautiful."
    "Your time will come," God said to me, "You will rise high !"
     "How high should I rise?" I asked.
     "How high will the bamboo rise?" He asked in return.
     "As high as it can?" I questioned.
     "Yes", He said, "Give me glory by rising as high as you can."

I left the forest and brought back this story. I hope these words can help you see that God will never give up on you. Never regret a day in your life. Good days give you happiness. Bad days give you experiences. Both are essential to life.
     Keep going...
     Happiness keeps you Sweet, Trials keep you Strong, Sorrows keep you Human, Failures keep you humble, Success keeps you Glowing, but Only God keeps you going !

      Rise as high as you can !

Attitude...

     Father : "I want you to marry a girl of my choice."
     Son : "I will choose my own bride !"
     Father : "But the girl is Bill Gate's daughter."
     Son : "Well, in that case... ok."

     Next  father approaches Bill Gates.
     Father : "I have a husband for your daughter."
     Bill Gates : "But my daughter is too young to marry !"
     Father : "But this young man is a Vice-President of the World Bank."
     Bill Gates : "Ah, in that case... ok."

     Finally father goes to see the President of the World Bank.
     Father : "I have a young man to be recommended as a Vice-President."
     President : "But I already have more Vice- Presidents than I need !"
     Father :  "But this young man is Bill Gate's son-in-law."
     President : "Ah, in that case... ok."

     Moral : Even if you have nothing, you can get anything, if your Attitude is positive.






    
     

Father To Son...

Dear Son...

     The day that you see me old and I am already not, have patience and try to understand me...

If I get dirty when eating... if I can not dress... have patience. Remember the hours I spent teaching it to you...

If, when I speak to you, I repeat the same things thousand and one times... do not interrupt me... listen to me. When you were small, I had to read to you thousand and one times the same story until you get to sleep...

When I do not want to have a shower, neither shame me or scold me... remember when I had to chase you with thousand excuses I invented, in order that you wanted to bath....

When you see my ignorance on new technologies... give me the necessary time and not look at me with your mocking smile... I taught you how to do so many things... to eat good, to dress well... to confront life...

When at some moment I lose the memory or the thread of our conversation... let me have the necessary time to remember... and if I can not do it, do not become nervous... as the most important thing is not my conversation but surely to be with you and to have you listening to me...

If ever I do not want to eat, do not force me. I know well when I need to and when not...

When my tired legs do not allow me walk... give me your hand... the same way I did when you gave your first steps...

And when someday I say to you that I do not want to live any more... that I want to die.. do not get angry... some day you will understand... Try to understand that my age is not lived but survived...

     Some day you will discover that, despite my mistakes, I always wanted the best thing for you and that I tired to prepare the way for you... You must not feel sad, angry or impotent for seeing me near you. You must be next to me, try to understand me and to help me as I did it when you started living...

Help me to walk... help me to end my way with love and patience. I will pay you by a smile and by the immense love I have had always for you.

     I love you son...

        Your father

Holding Hands...

     Little girl and her father were crossing a bridge. The father was kind of scared so he asked his little daughter, "Sweetheart, please hold my hand so that you don't fall into the river."

     The little girl said, "No, Dad. You hold my hand."

     "What's the difference?" Asked the puzzled father.

     "There's a big difference," replied the litter girl.

     "If I hold your hand and something happens to me, chances are that I may let your hand go. But if you hold my hand, I know for sure that no matter what happens, you will never let my hand go."

     In any relationship, the essence of trust is not in its bind, but in its bond.  So hold the hand of the person who loves you rather than expecting them to hold yours...