Who you are makes a difference

One night a man came home to his 14-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 he told me that he admired me and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius. The blue ribbon that says `Who I am makes a difference`. Then he gave me an extra ribbon and asked me to find somebody else special to honor. As I was driving home tonight, I started thinking about whom I would honor with this 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 scream at you for not getting enough good 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 couldn`t stop crying. His whole body shook. He looked up at his father and said, through his broken tears, “I was planning on committing suicide tomorrow, Dad, because I didn`t think you loved me. Now I don`t need to do that.” Love cures people – both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it. - Karl Menninger