Just wanted to share an e-mail I got from Carmine last night. It really meant alot to me. It was very nice. I'll post mine first and then his reply.
My e-mail:
Subject: I'm using you in a teaching lesson this weekend!!!!
Hi Carmine,
Thanks for answering my e-mails. I'm sure you probably know that there is a specific thread about your e-mails on the TalkCSI board. I don't get to check out that site as much as I used to, but I did pop in tonight and was overwhelmed with all the e-mails you've answered for everyone in the past week. There are messages upon messages. In all of that..........you gave me such a good lesson.
Forgive me for the long explanation, but I think if and when you have time to read it, it may be touching....... So bear with me while I give you a bit of background.
Tomorrow starts a week long mission week we have in my community called Community Changers. We bring several churches youth groups in and they do construction for a week and restore and repair houses for elderly people who can't do it or afford it. We go through CASA and Habitat for Humanity to get our homes to work on. We have usually over 300 teenagers. I'm the nurse for this whole group of teenagers. This will be my 5th year being the nurse for this mission week.
One of my jobs will be speaking to the group one night and doing an encouraging word for them. I'd already decided that I wanted to talk about "Significance" since self -worth is such a big thing for teenagers today. I'm going to use you and the fact that you actually take the time to answer the e-mails of so many fans. I think there is a multiple lesson in that (I'm sure you don't need me to spell it out). Here's a few high points.
1. You're "famous' and still remember the fans and let them know that.
2. You never know where these people who e-mail you are in their life and your one liner may be the thing that brings someone enough joy to get through another moment.
3. Reading and answering them all has to be time consuming, yet it builds your character with your fan base because most actors won't do that.
and then to remind them:
You never know how you are touching someone. Send out your encouragrams (that's a whole nother part of the mission week that this ties into) this week, take the time to say something to the people whose houses you are working on and etc.......
Anyway.............maybe lame, but just thought I'd let you know that you not only have made my respect and adoration for you grow, but you wrote my lesson for me by your actions.
Thank you............;-)
Susan
His reply:
thanks for your work with teenagers... encouragement is such an important thing to them... "good works" do not go unnoticed...
thanks... cdg