Making a Difference

I was sent an inspirational message this morning.  After reading it, I was reminded of something that happened to me several years ago.

When the children were in elementary school, L.A. City Schools did away with the Arts programs in order to fund bussing.  I decided to mobilize the many talented parents to bring the arts back to our children's school.  I wrote and directed a musical play for a cast of over 150 of the students.  I also made sure that we had a chorus, dancers, and orchestra for the production.  Then I had those kids who were into theater production do the stage sets, scenery, and behind scenes production.  It took us many months of lunch hours and after school to get the show off the ground but eventually we put on one of the biggest and best musical theater original productions the school had ever seen.  Years later, while my husband and I were on a trip to Italy we were on a tour bus to Pompeii.  A young woman was seated across the isle from me.  She kept staring at me and finally I asked her if there was some reason she was...um...looking in my direction.  She replied, "I think I know you!"  I looked at her and studied her face. She was no one I knew.

"No.  I don't think so," I replied.  "Perhaps you have me confused for someone who looks like me."

The young woman was insistent. She noticed that we were both Americans and asked where I was from.  I told her that we were living in North Carolina.  She shook her head sadly.  "No.  I guess not.  I don't know anyone from North Carolina," she replied.

"Where are you from?" I asked.  When she told me Los Angeles I replied that we were originally from L.A. Then I asked her what part of L.A and when she replied that she lived in an area where we had lived we began to narrow it down more and more. It turned out that we were from the same neighborhood!  Eventually it struck me that this person was about the same age as my children. I asked if she knew them and she replied that she didn't.  Suddenly the light went on and she cried out, "Oh my Goodness..YOU'RE MRS. BRYAN!!!" 

"Yes," I replied, still unsure of who this person was. 

Then she announced enthusiastically, "I am Fifi!  I mean, I was Fifi in your play."

I immediately remembered the character of Fifi, the star of the show. I had cast a young shy girl with a beautiful voice and a hidden talent for acting.  I encouraged her to step out of her shell and to push herself to 'emote.'  I worked relentlessly as I taught her how to project, act, perform, and 'sell' her character to the audience.  The girl was a huge success and was the talk of the school. 

Now a mature young lady, she smiled broadly and told me what had happened to her after she graduated elementary school. She continued to act, sing and dance.  She enjoyed the theater arts, public speaking and other related classes and activities throughout her educational career.  When she graduated from college she told me that because of her self confidence (something she claimed she did not have until I taught her to act and 'FORCED' her to face her fears) she applied for a job in Public Relations. It was a great job that involved speaking to large groups of people all over the world.  She traveled everywhere and had a fabulous and glamorous, well-paid vocation that she claimed she would not have had if not for what I had done for her. Then she spoke the words that I will never forget.  "It was because of you, Mrs. Bryan.  You made the difference in my life and I want to thank you."

My heart swelled.  I was so glad that we had met so many years later and that she recounted her 'story' and outcome.  I realized that it was a rare experience to know what happens to people with whom we lose touch but whose lives we have touched. What she had given me was a gift.  It reminded me that whoever we are and whatever we do, it can cause a ripple; it can make a difference; it can change a life.  Sometimes we think that we are unimportant...that the things we do go unnoticed.  Then something like this happens and it brings meaning to everything...absolutely EVERYTHING we do.  It was a turning point in my life.  I knew that my thoughts and actions mattered.  For each of us, we are given a certain amount of time on this Earth.  As we journey through life, we often judge what we do in a very personal way without ever really realizing how it may affect others.  I walked away from my meeting with this young lady with a newfound appreciation...a wisdom...a commitment to be accountable for my actions.  From that day forward I tried to treat each encounter with another human as an opportunity that should be cherished, nurtured, and respected because anything and everything can, and sometimes does make a difference.