By Alice Byer, Senior Case Facilitator For this autumn issue focused on appreciation and gratitude, I am excited to spotlight Ms. Vonda, whose genuine expressions of gratitude offer a shining example of how appreciation can positively influence those around us. Love for Mom Vonda is a joyful young woman living in the Bay Area with…
By Cassandra Sales, ILS Program Manager The vibrancy of Summer is shown in many ways. From the depth of green color in grass, to gardens in full bloom producing the most delicious fruit and vegetables, to sun kissed color on people all around us, Summer’s paintbrush is always creating new masterpieces for us to enjoy….
By Leslie Henry S-u-m-m-e-r! Just the very word summer conjures up all sorts of mental images & emotions. And, if you really love those long sunshine-y days you may even find yourself doing a little daydreaming about summer. Countdown to Summer Vacation Poll 10 people and you’ll get either “summer is my favorite” or…
By Cindy Liao, Training Coordinator Rest is foundational to our well-being, shaping the effectiveness of our daily pursuits. Among the various forms of rest, optimizing nighttime sleep emerges as a critical element in maintaining our physical, intellectual, and emotional health. During slumber, our bodies actively engage in vital repair and recovery processes. Sleep not only…
By Amanda Burnett Now that the seasons have changed and winter is upon us, I find myself asking, am I using these precious moments wisely? Am I taking time to be mindful of the gift that winter is to us? Most recognize winter as a time to be cold, hunker down and wait for the…
By Aaron Zint Extremes When you live in a city with extreme weather (think walking out your door to heat that feels like you’re crawling into an oven, 21 days of rain in a row or snow that shuts down schools and local businesses), you tend to celebrate the changing of the seasons more than…
By Jessica Noble The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about changing seasons is the unique beauty that each season in nature brings. I am one who never wants to miss out on something good, so the work and change it may take to get there is always worth it in the end….
By Tammi Gill March of 2020 almost feels like a vague dream now in the beginning months of 2023. The world stopped and nothing was business as usual. Our schools shut down, our businesses, our office buildings, our gyms, our places of worship, our sporting events, our family gatherings, and all our moments of connection…
By Sheri Wittmer Have you noticed that our produce departments are stocked full of fruits and vegetables that have traveled from faraway places to end up in our shopping carts? Consider tomatoes in the dead of winter, bearing that tiny sticker that says, “Mexico” or those summer oranges flown all the way from Chile. As…
Playing the victim is an easy trap to fall into when faced with the many challenges life brings us. The problem with victimhood is we don’t always know we’re living there. When faced with a problem, how do you respond? Do these scenarios below sound familar? Facing Problems Have you ever been faced with a…