You Do Make A Difference

A friend sent me this story in an email... and it really moved my heart... In memory of you Cara I am sharing this story.  I hope that each person that reads this story will understand that they do count.  I also hope that it inspires each person who reads this story to spread the message... Its important to me that people understand how much they matter... because Cara you thought you didn't matter that much... but you mattered... I miss you and I love you.  I'm grateful for you.   ******************************** A teacher in New York decided to honor her students by telling each of them who they were made a difference.  She called each student to the front of the room and told them how they had made a difference to her and to the class.  She presented each student with a ribbon.  The ribbon was imprinted with gold lettering that said, "Who I Am Makes A Difference." The teacher gave each of the students three more of the ribbons and encouraged them to go out into the community and give the ribbons to people who made a difference in their lives. One of her students gave a ribbon to a junior executive and thanked him for his help in helping him in career planning.  The student gave the junior executive the two remaining ribbons and asked him to pass them on. The junior executive gave one to his boss, who actually had a reputation for being a bit of a grouchy fellow.  He told his boss he admired him for being a creative genuis.  His boss seemed very surprised but not displeased.  The junior executive put the blue ribbon on his shirt and gave his boss the remaining ribbon and asked him to pass it on. That evening the boss was sitting with his 14 year old son.  He told his son, "something rather pleasant happened to me today.  One of my employees gave me this ribbon and told me he admired me for being a creative genius."  He showed his son the ribbon with the words imprinted in gold; 'Who I Am Makes A Difference'    The man told his son, "he gave me an extra ribbon and asked me to give it to someone I admire.  As I was driving home from work this evening I was thinking about who I'd like to give the ribbon to and I thought of you.  I'd like to give the ribbon to you because you're someone I admire and I want to honor you.  My days are hectic and when I come home I don't pay a lot of attention to you.  I yell at you that your grades aren't good enough and your room is messy.  Tonight I just want to let you know that you do make a differnce to me.  Besides your mother you're the most important person in the whole world to me.  You're a great kid and I love you." The startled boy started to sob and sob.  His whold body shook.  His dad held him and asked what's wrong over and over. Finally through his tears the boy was able to tell his dad, "Tonight I sat in my room and I wrote a letter to you and mom telling you why I took my own life and asking you to forgive me.  I was going to commit suicide tonight after you all were asleep.  I just didn't think you cared.  I don't think I'll need the letter after all. You matter, we all matter... and its important that we let each other know... We Matter.Sometimes even though we try so very hard to let those we love know that we love them they don't seem to hear us... and that hurts.... but keep trying... I think Cara knows I love her but I don't think she knew how much...