I want you to know that you're special

[Julia Kimber]

>One day a teacher asked
> > >>her students to list the names of the other
> > >> >students in the room on two sheets of paper, leaving a space
> > >>between
> > >> >each name.
> > >> >
> > >> >Then she told them to think of the nicest thing they could say
> > >>about
> > >> >each of their classmates
> > >> >and write it down;
> > >> >
> > >> >It took the remainder of the class period to finish their
> > >> >assignment, and as the students left the room, each one handed in
> > >> >the papers.
> > >> >
> > >> >That Saturday, the teacher wrote down the name of each student on
> > >>a
> > >> >separate sheet of paper, and listed what everyone else had said
> > >> >about that individual. On Monday she gave each student his or
> >her
> > >> >list.
> > >> >
> > >> >Before long, the entire class was smiling.
> > >> >
> > >> >"Really?"She heard whispered. "I never knew that I meant anything
> > >>to
> > >> >anyone!" and, "I didn't know others liked me so much."
> > >>were most of
> > >> >the comments.
> > >> >
> > >> >No one ever mentioned those papers in class again.
> > >> >
> > >> >She never knew if they discussed them after class or with their
> > >> >parents but it didn't matter.
> > >> >
> > >> >The exercise had accomplished its purpose.
> > >> >
> > >> >The students were happy with themselves and one another.
> > >> >
> > >> >That group of students moved on.
> > >> >
> > >> >Several years later, one of the students was killed in
> >Vietnam.
> > >> >
> > >> >His teacher attended the funeral of that student.
> > >> >
> > >> >She had never seen a serviceman in a military coffin before.
> > >> >
> > >> >He looked so handsome and mature.
> > >> >
> > >> >The church was packed with his friends.
> > >> >
> > >> >One by one, those who loved him took a last walk by the coffin.
> > >> >
> > >> >The teacher was the last one to bless.
> > >> >
> > >> >As she stood there, one of the
> > >>soldiers who acted as pallbearer came
> > >> >up to her.
> > >> >
> > >> >"Were you Mark's maths teacher?" he asked.
> > >> >
> > >> >She nodded: "yes." Then he said: "Mark talked about you a lot."
> > >> >
> > >> >After the funeral, most of Mark's formal classmates went
> >together
> > >> >for luncheon.
> > >> >
> > >> >Mark's mother and father were there, obviously waiting to speak
> > >>with
> > >> >his teacher.
> > >> >
> > >> >"We wanted to show you something," his father said, taking a
> > >> >wallet out of his pocket.
> > >> >
> > >> >"They found this on Mark when he was killed. We thought you might
> > >> >recognize it." Opening the
> > >> >billfold, he carefully removed two worn pieces of notebook that
> > >>had
> > >> >obviously been taped, folded, and refolded many times.
> > >> >
> > >> >The teacher knew without looking that the papers were the ones on
> > >> >which she had listed all the good things each
> > >>of Marks classmates
> > >> >had said about him.
> > >> >
> > >> >"Thank you
> >so much for doing that," Mark's mother said.
> > >> >
> > >> >"As you can see, Mark treasured it." All of Mark's former
> > >>classmates
> > >> >started to gather around.
> > >> >
> > >> >Charlie smiled rather sheepishly and said, "I still have my list.
> > >> >It's in the top drawer of my desk at home."
> > >> >
> > >> >Chuck's wife said, "Chuck asked me to put his in our wedding
> > >>album."
> > >> >
> > >> >"I have mine too," Marilyn said. "It's in my diary."
> > >> >
> > >> >Then Vicki, another classmate, reached into her pocketbook, took
> > >>out
> > >> >her wallet and showed her worn and frazzled list to the group.
> > >> >
> > >> >"I carry this with me at all times," Vicki said and without
> > >>batting
> > >> >an eyelash,
> >continued: "I think we
> > >> >all saved our lists."
> > >> >
> > >> >That's when the teacher finally sat down and
> > >>cried.
> > >> >
> > >> >She cried for Mark and for all his friends who would never see
> > >>him
> > >> >again.
> > >> >
> > >> >The density of people in society is so thick that we forget that
> > >> >life will end one day.
> > >> >
> > >> >And we don't even know when that one day will be.
> > >> >
> > >> >So, please, tell the people you love and care for, that they are
> > >> >special and important.
> > >> >
> > >> >Tell them, before it is too late.
> > >> >

[Darlene]

[homesteadmamma]

Julia, thank you for the reminder to tell our loved ones they are loved.