to the world you may be just one person,
but to one person you may be the world.
- brandi snyder
i received an email from a dear friend today...an email that i read on my iphone. i'm not one to read bulk forwarded emails. frankly, i just don't have the time for most of them and many times i delete the email before ever opening. well, today was different.
without a second thought, i opened the email and began to read. i thought it was interesting, but noticed it was rather long. i contemplated not finishing but the story kept me in and i continued. (and remember, on the iphone, the whole reading process takes a bit longer, at least it seems that way to me). by the end of the story, i had a lump in my throat. the email message is a powerful one. then i noticed that at the end of the story was a note...to me, from my friend laurie. i was surprised and continued reading. now, the lump was bigger and i was crying. i just couldn't believe the kind words that laurie wrote...and i'm just so dang appreciative that she took the time to send me that note.
before i share the emailed story and my friend's note, here's a little background on who this friend is...
laurie...my dear friend, who i met while an active duty nurse, stationed at eglin air force base. i was newly divorced and a single mother. it was the first time i was on my own since college and my welcome at eglin's hospital was not a warm one. laurie and her family lived across the street. i didn't really get to know laurie until she and i became office mates. i was a health care integrator and they were expanding my position from one to three (although the entire time i was there, it was just laurie and i). it was laurie and i against the hospital...or so it often seemed. laurie and i worked together for a year or so, until i got out of the air force in 2003. she's now kicking ass at an air force base in CO. i miss her so and hope to see her again some day.
here's the story, followed by laurie's wonderful note.
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 recognitin 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 honor, and give them a blue ribbon. Later that day, the junior executive went in to 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 seemed very surprised. The junior executive asked him if he would accept the gift of the blue ribbon, and give him permission to put it on him. HIs 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 honoring somebody else. The teenager who gave me these is doing a school project, and we want to keep this ribbon ceremony going and see how it affects people." That night, the boss came home and sat down with his 14-year-old son. He said, "The most incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office, and on 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 a creative genius! Then he put a blue ribbon on me that says, "Who I am Makes a Difference." He gave me an extra ribbon an asked me to find somebody else to honor. As I was driving home tonight, I started thinking about who 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 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 tonght 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 juniore 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. The students in the class learned a valuable lesson. Who You Are does Make a Difference.
Deb, your role model as an HCI, Air Force Officer, Nurse and single mom have made a huge impact on me and in my life. You taught me to take the bull by the horns and inspired me to be more independent. Your dedication to your daughter and career demonstrated to me that you can be a success at both if you put your mind to it and have balance. Thanks for being a part of my life.
Laurie
from the bottom of my heart, thank you laurie! love ya and miss ya pal.
because i can't write a post without a photo...
i tried so hard to find a photo of me, dressed in my air force uniform, but i couldn't find one. this was the best i could do...at steve's EOD graduation, during my active duty days (in 2002).
but to one person you may be the world.
- brandi snyder
i received an email from a dear friend today...an email that i read on my iphone. i'm not one to read bulk forwarded emails. frankly, i just don't have the time for most of them and many times i delete the email before ever opening. well, today was different.
without a second thought, i opened the email and began to read. i thought it was interesting, but noticed it was rather long. i contemplated not finishing but the story kept me in and i continued. (and remember, on the iphone, the whole reading process takes a bit longer, at least it seems that way to me). by the end of the story, i had a lump in my throat. the email message is a powerful one. then i noticed that at the end of the story was a note...to me, from my friend laurie. i was surprised and continued reading. now, the lump was bigger and i was crying. i just couldn't believe the kind words that laurie wrote...and i'm just so dang appreciative that she took the time to send me that note.
before i share the emailed story and my friend's note, here's a little background on who this friend is...
laurie...my dear friend, who i met while an active duty nurse, stationed at eglin air force base. i was newly divorced and a single mother. it was the first time i was on my own since college and my welcome at eglin's hospital was not a warm one. laurie and her family lived across the street. i didn't really get to know laurie until she and i became office mates. i was a health care integrator and they were expanding my position from one to three (although the entire time i was there, it was just laurie and i). it was laurie and i against the hospital...or so it often seemed. laurie and i worked together for a year or so, until i got out of the air force in 2003. she's now kicking ass at an air force base in CO. i miss her so and hope to see her again some day.
here's the story, followed by laurie's wonderful note.
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 recognitin 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 honor, and give them a blue ribbon. Later that day, the junior executive went in to 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 seemed very surprised. The junior executive asked him if he would accept the gift of the blue ribbon, and give him permission to put it on him. HIs 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 honoring somebody else. The teenager who gave me these is doing a school project, and we want to keep this ribbon ceremony going and see how it affects people." That night, the boss came home and sat down with his 14-year-old son. He said, "The most incredible thing happened to me today. I was in my office, and on 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 a creative genius! Then he put a blue ribbon on me that says, "Who I am Makes a Difference." He gave me an extra ribbon an asked me to find somebody else to honor. As I was driving home tonight, I started thinking about who 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 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 tonght 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 juniore 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. The students in the class learned a valuable lesson. Who You Are does Make a Difference.
Deb, your role model as an HCI, Air Force Officer, Nurse and single mom have made a huge impact on me and in my life. You taught me to take the bull by the horns and inspired me to be more independent. Your dedication to your daughter and career demonstrated to me that you can be a success at both if you put your mind to it and have balance. Thanks for being a part of my life.
Laurie
from the bottom of my heart, thank you laurie! love ya and miss ya pal.
because i can't write a post without a photo...
i tried so hard to find a photo of me, dressed in my air force uniform, but i couldn't find one. this was the best i could do...at steve's EOD graduation, during my active duty days (in 2002).
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