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| Open Theism Discussion Board > Public Forums > General Chat > Communication and the impact it has | Forum Quick Jump
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trosie
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 550
| Posted Today 2:35 AM (GMT -6) |   | The choice of our words and how we communicate our love and appreciation for one another makes such an impact! After the turmoil I was a part of on the "Is Voting for Life a Christian Ethic?" thread, I came upon this story and felt it was a great example on how the way we communicate and interact with one another has an impact. This is worth the read because it demonstrates how our interactions with and communication to one another (both verbally and nonverbally) makes a difference. It might bring a tear to your eye and tug at your heart. I encourage you to read this:
Blue Ribbons
A teacher in New York 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 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 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 back 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 you to go out, find somebody to honor, give them a blue ribbon, then give them the extra blue ribbon to 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 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 the boss's jacket above his heart. As he gave him the last extra ribbon, he said, "Would you do me a favor? Would you take this extra one and pass it on by honoring somebody else? The young boy who first gave me the ribbon is doing a school 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 fourteen 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'm a creative genius. Then he put this 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 blue ribbon and I thought about you. I want 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 yell at you for not getting good enough grades in school and for your bedroom being a mess, but 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 wouldn'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 killed myself and asking you to forgive me. I was going to commit suicide tonight after you were asleep. I just didn't think 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 envelope was addressed, "Mom and Dad."
The boss went back to work a changed man. He was no longer a grouch but made sure to let all his employees know that they made a difference.
The junior executive helped several 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
The young boy and his classmates learned a valuable lesson. Who you are DOES make a difference. The way you choose to communicate to others DOES make an impact.
Peace y'all,
trosie
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Mephi2K
Registered Member
Date Joined Jun 2001
Total Posts : 713
| Posted Today 3:23 AM (GMT -6) | | Very...VERY...insightful and poignant story. Thanks for sharing that, Trosie. It's a testimony to the idiocy of thinking that we can be completely neutral when it comes to enhancing human solidarity and promoting life and love. It's also anecdotal evidence for the true interdependency of persons. By action or inaction, you are either part of the solution or part of the problem. And EVERYONE matters. Everyone.
Great stuff, Trosie.
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Starkman
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2001
Total Posts : 1747
| Posted Today 3:51 AM (GMT -6) | | | | |
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selah
Registered Member
Date Joined Oct 2001
Total Posts : 1210
| Posted Today 9:39 AM (GMT -6) | | 
love,
selah
Then He showed me the river whose waters give life, sparkling like crystal, flowing out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. Rev. 22:1 | | Back to Top | | |
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Empiress
Registered Member
Date Joined Jan 2002
Total Posts : 363
| Posted Today 3:38 PM (GMT -6) | | Thank you for sharing this Trosie.
*cyber-pins a blue ribbon on you for being so insightful and making a difference on this board*
Peace and all good,
~E
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trosie
Registered Member
Date Joined Jul 2001
Total Posts : 550
| Posted Today 10:06 PM (GMT -6) | | Thanks for the kudos Mephi, Starkman, Selah, and Miss E! I appreciate the blue ribbon acknowledgment. 
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