Make a difference
... the US, the 4th Saturday of every October is regarded as a ‘make a difference day’ when people take efforts to help others in the society. I am sure that such days are maintained in many other countries in the world today. Supporting material: Few years back when I was a member of the Rotaract Club of Cochin Harbour, we had organized a project to go around to different clubs, charitable societies and social organizations to find out the different activities they have organized to help the poor & the needy. When we visited the clubs, all of them gave us figures about the money raised, donations given and materials given away to the poor with big pomp and show attracting the media. On our way back from one of these clubs, we parked our bikes next to a bus stop to get a cold drink. Near the bus stop, we saw a mother angrily scolding & beating her small girl. The mother was muttering words like “ You are a careless girl ! You cannot even take care of your things… You have kept losing your pencil, books, tiffin box and today you have lost 10 rupees. you are such a useless kid.. I will never given you money again to buy ice cream, The little girl was crying and said “ Mummy its true that I have lost many things in the past but I did not lose that 10 rupees. “ Then where is that money” asked her mother” . The little girl pointed to a beggar sitting near the bridge and said “ I gave it to him”. Her mother was furious “ You gave 10 rupees to the beggar. Your dad does not even give 1 rupee to any beggar”. The girl sobbed and said “ Yes I did Mummy! He has not eaten anything in 3 days. I am not hungry and I can go without Ice cream but he cannot go without food. The mother’s eyes were filled with tears she hugged and kissed her little girl in appreciation of her intelligent and kind concern. It was a scene worth watching. That little girl had made a difference to that beggar’s life in that little way she could and her act of generosity made a better difference than any of these clubs. You don’t need to be a rich, big or a top shot to make a difference in others lives. Point Two When you make a small difference in the life of someone by acknowledging them, it may have a far reaching effect on the lives of others too. Generosity and kindness are contagious at times and it can spread much faster than any virus. Once a teacher in new york decided to honor each of her senior students by telling them the difference they each made. Using a process developed by Helice Bridges of California, she called each student to the front of the class, one at a time . First she told them how the student made a difference to her and the whole class. Then, she presented each of them with a blue ribbon imprinted with gold letters which read “ Who I am Makes a difference “ After wards the teacher decided to do a class project to see what kind of impact recognition would have on a community. She gave each of them three more ribbons and instructed them to go out and spread the acknowledgement ceremony. They were to report back to the class about the details of who all they have honored in a weeks time. 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 requested him to keep this acknowledgment ceremony going to help him in his class project. Later that day the junior executive went in to see his boss whom he had never liked because of his irritable nature. But that day he sat with his boss and he told him “ Look chief. Irrespective of what all differences we have, I deeply admire you for being a creative genius”. His boss seem...