“Is it possible that two words can change someone’s day, someone’s life? What if those same two words could change the world?” asks Cheryl Rice a leadership coach, speaker and author. I sat down with Cheryl to find out why she is on a mission to reach individuals all over the world especially those feeling isolated and who have lost hope. Cheryl described an emotional encounter in her local supermarket checkout line where she overheard a mother talking about the difficult times her family was facing. “When it was her turn to pay, the cashier asked how she was doing.The woman looked down and said, ‘Not so good. My husband just lost his job and my son is up to his old tricks again. The truth is I don’t know how I’m going to get through the holidays.’ Then she gave the cashier food stamps. My heart ached. I wanted to help but didn’t know how. Should I offer to pay for her groceries, ask for her husband’s resume? I did nothing and the woman left the store.” said Cheryl. But the story didn’t end there. Cheryl decided to follow the woman to the parking lot, pulled out a a card she remembered she had buried in her purse and gave it to a complete stranger. “When the woman read the card she began to cry and through her tears she said, ‘You have no idea how much this means to me.’ and at that moment I knew what I had to do,” said Cheryl.” She started giving out cards in her community. She went to the dry cleaners, her barista, and also gave people a hug. She set a goal for herself by starting the You Matter Marathon and in 2016 more than half-a million cards were shared in 50 states and 65 countries. Her goal this year is to share two million and she says the orders keep coming in. “There are no strings attached to receiving a card, no request for donations or personal information just those two words to let people know they are not alone. It showed me the potential and power I have as a human being to make a difference, by interacting with people in a deeply personal way if only for a moment. It showed me I matter.” said Cheryl. To learn more go to http://youmattermarathon.com/
By Journalist Lauren Cohn