A New York teacher honored each of her high school seniors by telling them the difference they made. Following a method by Helice Bridges, she called each student forward, explained their impact, and presented them with a blue ribbon imprinted with gold letters: "Who I Am Makes a Difference."
She then initiated a class project to explore the impact of recognition in the community. Each student received three more ribbons and was instructed to pass them on, creating a chain of acknowledgment, and report back in a week.
One student approached a junior executive at a nearby company, thanking him for career advice and giving him a blue ribbon. He also gave him two extra ribbons, asking him to continue the chain of recognition.
The junior executive then honored his boss, known for being grouchy, by praising him as a creative genius and presenting him with a blue ribbon. He gave his boss the last extra ribbon, asking him to pass it on.
That night, the boss came home to his 14-year-old son. He told his son about the ribbon and said, "I want to honor you. My days are hectic, and I sometimes scream about grades or a messy room. But I want you to know you make a difference to me. You are one of the most important people in my life. I love you."
The startled boy began to sob uncontrollably. Through tears, he said, "I was planning to commit suicide tomorrow, Dad, because I didn't think you loved me. Now I don't need to."