Rachel's Challenge

I went to a meeting last night to learn about Rachel's challenge.  An amazing friend of mine had posted something about this earlier in the week  on Facebook and I had forgotten about it.

I saw it again late in the afternoon and I clicked on the video content and listened to the intro.  Rachel's challenge is about Rachel Scott who was the first person that was killed at Columbine High school on April 20, 1999.

I still vividly remember hearing the initial news reports and watching in horror over and over again the reports on the local news and CNN, trying to make sense of how this could happen in our community.

I had friends and colleagues who had children that were in the school that morning.   A friend of mine from Team in Training had a sister who was in the cafeteria and he feels so lucky to still have his sister.

Rachel Scott was heavily influenced by the writings of Anne Frank and much like Anne Frank she aspired to have a big impact on the world.   In an eerie parallel, Anne Frank died in a concentration camp and Rachel Scott died on the anniversary of Adolph Hitler's birthday.

“How lovely to think that no one need wait a moment, we can start now, start slowly changing the world! How lovely that everyone, great and small, can make their contribution toward introducing justice straightaway... And you can always, always give something, even if it is only kindness!” 
― Anne Frank

The film clips of Columbine, the 9-1-1 calls were hard to watch, to listen to.  Reliving it all over again.  Disturbing for me, unknowable to what was felt on that day.

Rachel Scott lived a purposeful life in her 17 years.  To date Rachel's challenge has reached over 17 million people worldwide.

Rachel believed in  the power of kindness and that kindness mattered.

Here are the 5 components of Rachel's challenge.

Look for the best in others.
Dream Big!
Choose positive influences.
Speak with kindness.
Start your own chain reaction.

"I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion then it will start a chain reaction of the same."- Rachel Scott

Please visit Rachel's Challenge by clicking here. 

My request would be for everyone that is reading to start your own chain reaction of kindness.  Start with your family, start with one person.  See what you can create.

Rachel lived this in her 17 years.  17 million people and counting have heard her message.

At the end of the presentation, we listened to this song by Jewell, Hands and watched a tribute of Rachel Joy Scott's life.

"I am never broken,in the end only kindness matters." ~Jewell

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