Who has made a difference in your life? Maybe it was your mom or dad, maybe it was a good friend, maybe even a stranger who gave you a compliment at the mall. Sometimes it’s the people you least expect to help you make a change. Regardless of who it is, one thing is clear. Everyone is capable of making a difference. It’s just a matter of what we choose to do with our abilities. How is it that even small things can have such a big effect on people’s lives? We don’t realize that little events often result in a long domino effect. So next time you ask if you really can make a difference, remember what you heard today about people old, young, big and small making a big difference through their little efforts.

On today’s episode, enjoy the following:

“Come With Me and Be Free” by Kate Dudding from People Who Made a Difference (12:11)

Our first story today comes from a person who specializes in true stories about people who made a difference. Her name is Kate Dudding and she has several albums, each of which has won a national storytelling award. This story certainly deserves an award, just like the main character: a young boy who grew up working in a carpet factory in order to pay off his family’s debts. But working there, essentially a slave, didn’t stop him from wanting better for himself and his peers.

“Clever Counting” by Pam Faro from Why Didn't I Think of That?: Seeking Solutions- Some Sassy, Some Silly, Some Smart (11:19)

Pam Faro says that storytelling is her calling and believes that storytelling can make a difference. This just might be true. We can learn a lot from stories if we pay attention. In this one, a beautiful leopard is ready to get married. The only question is to who? She has lots of options but she doesn’t want just anyone. She wants someone that is both strong and clever. So she devises a plan that will help her find someone that fits that description.

“Isaac and the Glum Drum Bridge” by Donna Washington from A Tureen of Tales (9:28)

Dreams can be strange things. They can be so strange it makes you wonder what was wrong with the food you ate last night. They can also be so real that you think they actually happened. But what would you do if your dream told you to go somewhere or do something. Would you listen? Or would you just think it was just a crazy dream? Donna Washington has a story about just such a situation. Her love for stories grew when she was just a little girl listening to her father weave tales at the dinner table. Since, she has gone on to gather awards in vocal storytelling as well as for her children’s books.

“The Evergreens” by Odds Bodkin from The Evergreens (7:44)

Odds Bodkin likes to, as he says, flavor his stories with music. He believes that ethical lessons are best learned when we are thoroughly entertained. This next story teaches all about the value of kindness and compassion as it follows a little bird who has broken its wing. At first, all of the trees are too busy and self important to notice such a small bird, but a kind evergreen tree is willing to look down and help it survive the winter. While it didn’t take much work for the evergreen and its friends to help the bird, it made a big difference.

“A Ride to Remember” by Glenda Bonin from Dust Vail Tales: Growing Up on The Empire Ranch in Arizona (5:55)

The experiences we have while we are growing up have a great effect on who we become later in life. What we learn as kids sticks with us for a long time. Glenda Bonin tells a story about a girl named Dusty who grew up on a ranch. Her experiences there shaped her life in numerous ways. She was born in a time when girls weren’t often allowed the same privileges as a boy but since she was the oldest child, she was able to help on the ranch.