Take a minute to think about this: what are moments in your life that define who you are today?

Chances are they include celebrations like graduations, weddings and birthdays. Some of these become the measure of who you are as a person.

My wedding celebration to Tracie defined my future more than anything else. The subsequent birth of my three children helped shape me as a husband, father, provider and caretaker.

School graduations have also made me who I am today. When in Grade 11, my parents convinced me to finish school and not to quit. I thought it was a giant waste of time. I didn’t believe it would make a difference in my future.

But my folks — who had a Grade 2 and a Grade 11 education — were determined to see me graduate high school.

When I walked across that stage to get my diploma upon completing Grade 12, I knew I had accomplished something worth celebrating.

Many of us take celebrations for granted because we assume everyone else gets celebrated as well.

That’s not always the case.

Some years ago, the homeless shelter in Calgary I was working at arranged for Christmas presents for our transitional housing residents. We came up with a wish list for each person and members of our community went out to buy the presents. Others wrapped the gifts and attached hand-written cards.

On Christmas morning, we all gathered around the tree and handed out the presents to each person. One of the guys, who had recently been released from prison, left the room immediately.

When we went to check up on him, we found him crying in his room. When he was able to speak after awhile, he told us it was the first time in his life someone had ever given him a gift.

There had never been a celebration for him.

He had no sense of accomplishment because no one had ever celebrated anything he’d ever done. No one cares enough about him to celebrate his achievements.

We recently had a celebration at Siloam Mission. A few of our employment-training participants completed a comprehensive computer-training course. We all gathered around them with coffee and cake and witnessed their graduation.

As each of them walked to the front of the room to receiver their certificate, I could see in their eyes it was a very special day for them.

Most of them have not experienced positive celebrations that define who they are today, but all of them are starting to take positive steps toward generous, self-sufficient lifestyles. Before receiving his certificate, our computer instructor asked one man what role he wanted to someday play in an organization.

“I want to be a visionary,” he replied. “Because those are the people that implement change.”

A sense of being appreciated, a sense of being celebrated, is a core essential for all of us to begin implementing change ourselves.

When I think of the hundreds of people who come through our door every day for a meal or safe shelter, I wonder if anyone has ever celebrated their accomplishments.

— Floyd Perras is the executive director of Siloam Mission.
Winnipeg SUN Column