A teacher 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 printed in it with gold letters that 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 acknowledgement ceremony. Then they were to follow up on the results, see who honored whom and report back to the class In about a fortnight.

One of the boys 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 shift, then he gave him two extra ribbons and said “Sir, we are doing a class project on recognition and would like you to find somebody to honor, give him a blue ribbon, then give him the extra ribbon so he can acknowledge a third person to keep this acknowledgement ceremony going.

Later that day the junior executive went to see his boss, who had been noted, as being kind of a grouchy person. He told him that he deeply admired him for a 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.

The surprised boss agreed. The junior executive took the blue ribbon and placed it right on his boss’s shirt above his heart. While giving him the 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 and sat with his 14-year-old son. 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 the blue ribbon that says, ‘Who I Am Makes A Difference’ on my shirt above my heart. He gave me an extra ribbon to honor somebody. As I was driving home, I thought, I wanted 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, books, clothes being a mess. But somehow tonight, I just wanted to sit here and 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, “I was planning on committing suicide tomorrow, Dad, because I didn’t think you loved me. Now I know you care. This is the happiest day I’ve known”. The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a grouch but made sure to let all 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. You never know what kind of difference a little encouragement can make to a person.

Remember this – I give you a blue ribbon.

WHO YOU ARE MAKES A DIFFERENCE TO ME.