Posted at: 10/07/2009 3:30 PM
By: Elaine Houston

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Twelve Little Words

A couple of months ago, my executive producer gave me a little note and told me to read it, keep it and remind him of the message contained in it, if I noticed him looking overwhelmed and frazzled in the coming weeks. He was partially joking, but nevertheless I taped it to my computer screen and promised to remind him of his potential and power through the 12 little words contained in the note. The note said, "You can be anything, you can do anything. Never, ever give up."  

I've only reminded him once but I've read the words on the tiny piece of paper a number of times for myself when I've been overwhelmed and frazzled.   I was thinking about the power of those 12 little words, when I read a blog by Tyler Perry detailing the childhood abuse he suffered at the hands of  his father.

Today he is a successful writer, producer, director and actor of the highly successful "Madea" franchises, but when he was a child he suffered mental and physical abuse-at times considered suicide as a way out of his suffering. But, he never gave up and turned to writing as an outlet. Childhood is painful for many kids. They sit in classrooms with secrets-secrets about what goes on when they leave school and return home. I've met some of them. It is my hope that someone somewhere crosses their path and reminds them of those 12 little words. Maybe it will be a teacher, a principal, a school bus driver-maybe it will be you. Few of us succeed without the help of others. That help can come in many forms and sometimes it comes in the form of a few encouraging words.

Elaine