Gratitude

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Healthy Child

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.... It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” - Melody Beattie, author

What’s the staff at Healthy Child grateful for this year? Read on to find out…

Claire Moss, Executive Administration and Programs Assistant - I’m grateful for my family; the beach; music; the constant change and renewal of the seasons; the dedication, knowledge and humor of my colleagues; and cookies (yum!).

Emily Lynne Ion, Communications and Outreach Associate - There is so much to be grateful for this year. I'm thankful each and every day for my health, especially when you consider that, for so many people in our country, maintaining good health seems like purely a matter of luck. I'm grateful to work for a cause that seeks to shift that paradigm, so that your health isn't compromised by the way you go about living your daily life. I'm continually blessed by a loving and supportive family, and a wonderful boyfriend who I love very much. And this year, I'm grateful for the music of Pierre Gage and Michael Jackson, the art of Irving Penn and Sophie Calle, American Rag for my vintage wares, my corner Indian restaurant, and my Blackberry.

Mandy Geisler, Programs Director - Last year I expressed gratitude to my bicycle and I am still riding it to work everyday - well except in the unlikely event of rain in LA. But what really got me excited this year is that our landlord got us recycling bins, which makes it much easier for us to recycle. We started with 1 bin for 5 families and now we have 3. I educated my roommates about what they can recycle and it is just awesome to see how much less waste you have in your household! I also try to eat as much organic as I can and I also started bringing my own home-cooked food to work, which saves me money, packaging and unwanted preservatives in my body. I use Klean Kanteen to store my water and glass containers or safer plastics to store my food. It just feels so empowering to know that I can make a difference by the choices I make and I am grateful for the healthier choices that are out there.

Janelle Sorensen, Senior Editor and Outreach Strategist – I am overwhelmingly grateful every day for my wonderful family (that no words can describe), a job that reflects my passions and values (that’s both endlessly challenging and endlessly fulfilling), the amazing and inspiring people in my community (both personally and professionally, in real life and virtually), and the technology that enables me to work from home, but still meaningfully connect with people all over the country. And, this Thanksgiving, I’m grateful to be in a new home, surrounded by a new landscape!

Bill Benjamin, Strategic Partnerships Director - I am thankful for the gift of adoption -- where another person's selflessness allowed me to be the parent I always wanted to be. As I now look at my 9-month old son, I am grateful that he can be better than me...benefiting from a world where trusted friends -- like Healthy Child Healthy World -- watch out for us and guide us to make smart choices that will last a lifetime. His every giggle, and every expression, and every leap from sitting, to crawling, to standing, and soon walking remind me of the precious gift I will cherish and nurture on this Thanksgiving day and every day.

Christopher Gavigan, CEO and Executive Director - I’m thankful for the community of thoughtful people working for a cleaner tomorrow for our children - those conscious parents and teachers, the dedicated activists and NGOs, the thoughtful scientists and doctors, and smarter companies and retailers - it takes a VILLAGE, and together we can and will create a healthier future. Thank you for your work, passion, and positivity!

From all of us at Healthy Child, have a happy, healthy holiday!