Gratitude (plus video!)

by Jesse Blom, Executive Director

“How are you?”, they ask.
“Busy”, is a common response these days.

Maybe followed by, “I can’t handle all of these emails!” or, replace “emails” with “meetings”.

The end of the year is coming, and for many of us, that means a heightened sense of overwhelming to-do’s, looming deadlines, and overall scarcity of resources. “How is it possible for me to get all of this work done?” we might ask ourselves. I’ve found that a helpful tool, when confronting this particular feeling of mounting pressure and scarcity, is GRATITUDE. When I start my day by writing a handful of “thank you” notes, my burden somehow feels a tad lighter. The problems that I face seem a bit smaller, and my plate, where before it was feeling near empty, now all of a sudden, feels full.

GRATITUDE is one of the key character traits featured in our Farm to School lessons. Our students, educators and volunteers practice gratitude by writing thank you cards for the generous gifts of “taste tests” from local restaurants or for appearances by special guests at our lessons. They give their buddies “shout-outs” at the end of lessons to reinforce positive words or actions they see in each other. And, once in a while, they help us make a video about what we’re thankful for this Thanksgiving.

Enjoy this video message from our Green Heart buddies, and know that we are thankful to YOU, for supporting us on this journey together. Here’s wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving surrounded by community and good food!