The inspiration for CharacterTree came in part from the now infamous and heartwarming "All Good Things" story; a tale about of a former Catholic school student killed in Vietnam as told by Sister Mrosla, one on his teachers. She describes an unforgettable elementary student named Mark Eklund who had been likeable but frustrating because of his inability to stay quiet in class. The teacher transferred to teaching junior-high and later had Mark again. One day she asked everyone in the class to write down all of the students' names and to also write the nicest thing they could think of about that person. Years later, the teacher got word that Mark Eklund had died in Vietnam and she was asked to attend his funeral. Mark's family showed her that the piece of paper from junior-high with other student's kind remarks about him had been carried in his wallet until the day he died. The teacher then heard that other students had also saved their pieces of paper from that day and how much it had meant to them. The story closes with encouragement to tell people how much we care for them and how special they are to us while there is still the time to do it.

This story has been forwarded via e-mail to millions of people around the world as an example of how a few words can help people see the best in themselves through the eyes of others.

Click Here for the complete story.