By Henrylito D. Tacio

YOU don't have to be famous or somebody to really make a difference in this world. That's what "Everyday Heroes," one of my favorite columns in 'Reader's Digest,' is trying to prove. Every quarter, "the world's largest circulation magazine" is churning out stories of "selfless and inspiring deeds."

"The common them of their stories is that they are all ordinary people who have done extraordinary things," explained Jim Plouffe in his assessment of the "Asian heroes" featured since 1994.

Consider this: Malaysian Wardarti Mohamad, who didn't know how to swim, saved seven youngsters from drowning. After their son Andrew died of leukemia in 1992 following a futile search for a bone marrow donor, couple Gerand and May Cheng Loong set up a bone marrow registry in Singapore. Despite his age, at 74, Vishweshwar Dutt Saklani planted thousands of trees in northern India. Kaybird Padilla tracked a snatch thief through a notorious slum in Cebu City.

"Whether saving the environment, helping the needy or setting an example for others, all our Heroes have taken the initiative and made a difference," pointed out Plouffe, who is the magazine's newest editor-in-chief. "They have risked their lives, spent vast amounts of money, donated their time, and struggled to overcome doubts and heartache. In ways great and small, they have made the world a better place."

This reminds me of the words of Stephen Grellet: "I shall pass through this world but once. Any good that I can do, or any kindness that I can show any human being, let me do it now and not defer it. For I shall not pass this way again."

Now, allow me to share a heartwarming story which I presumed you may have heard or read already. But just the same, please read the story all over again…

At one time, a New York teacher decided to honor each of her seniors in high school by telling them the difference they each made. Using a process developed by Helice Bridges of Del Mar, 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 class. Then, she presented each of them with a blue ribbon imprinted with gold letters which read: "WHO I AM MAKES A DIFFERENCE."

Afterwards, the teacher decided to do a class project to see what kind of impact recognition would have on a community. She gave each of the students three more ribbons and instructed them to go out and spread this acknowledgement ceremony. Then, they were to follow up on the results and report back to the class in about a week.

One of the boys went to a junior executive in a nearby company and honored him for helping him with his career planning. He gave him the blue ribbon, two extra ribbons, and said, "We're doing a class project on recognition, and we'd like you to go out, find somebody to honor, and give them a blue ribbon, then give them the extra ribbon so they can acknowledge a third person to keep this acknowledgement ceremony going. Then, please report back to me and tell me what happened."

Later that day, the junior executive went to his boss, a grouchy fellow. He told him he deeply admired him for being creative, and then asked him to acknowledge someone else with the remaining ribbon.

The boss was greatly surprised to receive the honor. That night, he came home and told his 14-year-old son. "The most incredible thing happened to me today," he said. "One of the junior executives came in and told me he admired me and gave me a blue ribbon for being a creative genius. Imagine! I started thinking about whom I would honor and I thought about you. I want to honor you. My days are hectic and when I come home I don't pay a lot of attention to you. Sometimes, I scream at your for not getting good grades or leaving your room in a mess… but somehow, tonight, I just wanted to let you know that you do make a difference. Besides your mother, you are the most important person in my life. You're a great kid and I love you!"

The boy started to sob and sob and couldn't stop crying. His whole body shook. He looked up through his tears and said, "I was planning on committing suicide tomorrow, Dad, because I didn't think you loved me. Now, I don't need to."

Remember that poem which goes this way: "It isn't the thing you do dear, it's the thing you left undone, which gives you a bit of heartache, at the setting of the sun. The tender words forgotten, the letters you did not write…"

As Alexander Graham Bell puts it: "When one door closes, another opens; but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we do not see the one which has opened for us."

The Bible states: "Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act" (Proverbs 3:27).

ooOoo