It is funny how a simple little note... No more then one paragraph, can change the course of a day. I was lucky enough to receive that note before I even got out of bed this morning. It came in the form of an email, to the blackberry I keep plugged in next to my bed at night. I must admit, the loud beep that interrupted my dreams made me want to scream. The note that followed made up for the rude awakening.

Considering how short it was, I thought I'd share the entire thing.

Jessica,

I thought that I'd share with you that after your story aired, I had a call from a friend that leads that local Cub Scout Pack. He volunteered for his organization to supply a trash can and bags for the coming year, if I could dispose of the bags once full. In turn, I asked the City if they would place a couple of the trash cans back in the park if we maintain them. Today I received a response from the City saying that they will place 2 cans back at Woodstone Park. Your story helped the problem!

Thanks!

Terri

Everyday I get up and come to work. I produce a story or two, conduct some interviews, shoot some video and call it a day. Sometimes I piss people off and insult people. Often time, people piss me off, threaten me, and leave me feeling like a worthless piece of you-know-what. Rarely though, do I get a note like this one.

It is a simple note that probably took thirty seconds to write. Nevertheless it put a smile on my face that lasted throughout the day. I got into this business because I wanted to help people. I'm not going to go as far as to say that I thought I could change the world, but I will say that I thought I could make a difference. Recently however I've let that dream slip. I've become disheartened by a business that forces me to compress emotion and real life drama into a thirty second story. I've begun wondering if any good can really be done in 1 minute and fifteen seconds.

There have been nights where I've left the station hitting my steering wheel, and cursing "the nature of the biz." There have been days I've worked my rear off only to watch the whole thing wash down the drain at five o'clock. But today, I heard five simple words that will keep me going for a least another month... You're story helped solve the problem!

Sweet affirmation. Affirmation that people saw my hard work, that people listened to me, that just getting the word out did SOMETHING. Oh, so sweet is this affirmation.

So thank you Terri for your simple words. Little did you know how much they would mean to me. Now I guess it is my turn to apply this simple lesson to my life. How easy is it to say thank you, to tell someone that they've made a difference in your life. It takes two seconds, a few words will do... But it may just mean the world to someone.

This is the story I put together, five days before receiving this wonderful note!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uk-NfjEVSJM