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Endless Gratitude TAKING TIME TO CHERISH WHAT WE HAVE NOV 2022
Hi everyone, my name is Ani De La Paz, and I’m a client relations and marketing specialist here at Denmon Pearlman. Like many Americans, I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving, and I’m even more excited that it finally feels like Thanksgiving again after two years of social distancing. My family traditionally celebrates at my Aunt Sara’s house. Everyone brings a dish to share, a smile, and plenty of gratitude for one another. I love that Thanksgiving gives us a rare chance to have the entire
And we all know that as families grow and change, finding the time to meet all together can be challenging. It tends to get a little more difficult every year. Thanksgiving gives us an incentive to make it work; we should all stop and recognize how special these family moments are. I also appreciate that the holiday encourages us to slow down and practice gratitude. After the pandemic, we all have more reasons to count our blessings. I’ve certainly learned that time is too precious to waste. We never know how much longer we have, so we should try to make the most of every minute. I also try to incorporate gratitude into my everyday life. Reflecting on the ways we’re all fortunate should happen more than once each year. I make an effort to say “thank you” more often and take time to notice all the small blessings in life. Most importantly, we all get to share this wonderful gift called life with one another. That’s a miracle we should never take for granted. So, why am I thankful this year? I’m grateful to have a fantastic job, good friends, and a loving family. I’m excited for a special holiday trip this year when my family spends Thanksgiving in the mountains of Tennessee. I can’t wait to enjoy the brisk weather and time with my family surrounded by beautiful nature, and I’m so thankful for this opportunity. But as grateful as I am, there are always opportunities to improve things. So, I would like to close with one simple plea this Thanksgiving: Can’t we have ham for once?! Turkey is fine, but every year is a little much. Let’s try a little diversity in our proteins every now and then. Some variety will do us good and give us even more to appreciate.
family together in one place. After everything we’ve been through the past couple of years, I now see what a gift that is.
We all get to share this wonderful gift called life with one another. That’s a miracle we should never take for granted.”
—Ani De La Paz
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THANKSGIVING IS ABOUT MORE THAN FOOD
IT’S ABOUT SHOWING GRATITUDE
Celebrate your challenges. Sometimes struggles and battles in our lives can weigh us down. But when you persevere and continue to push forward, you will find success. Challenges help you improve your abilities and resilience, so celebrate the progress you’ve made. Showing gratitude for challenges and negative experiences allows us to acknowledge humility and appreciate growth in our lives. Keep a journal. Writing down the things you’re grateful for will remind you of all the great things you have when other things aren’t going so well. So, keep a journal about what you’re grateful for each day or week — even if it’s just small things at first. Your perspective on life will change, and it will get easier to see the good things and to feel grateful for things you were likely overlooking. Showing gratitude is something we should do every day, all throughout the year — not just during the holidays. So, try to practice mindfulness and gratitude using these tips! Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
As we prepare for our Thanksgiving feasts, Thursday night football games, and Black Friday shopping, take some time to show gratitude for those around you and for what you have. Here are a few ways to practice gratitude this month. Appreciate everything. Get into the habit of being grateful for the little things in your life. It can be easy to acknowledge the “big” things, but nothing is too small to be thankful for. You can be grateful the weather is nice and sunny, that you received the package you’ve been waiting for, or that you got out of bed today. Don’t leave out anything when practicing gratitude. Practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present and aware of what’s happening around you. So, instead of being overwhelmed by what you need to do tomorrow or next week, focus on the present moment and enjoy the time you spend solo or with your loved ones. Live in the moment and take one day at a time. Tomorrow will surely come, and you only have a limited amount of time in the present.
Everyone needs to eat, but food insecurity affects millions of Americans every year, and most people become particularly aware of the problem around the holidays. While many can gather with families in a warm home and an abundance of food, others aren’t sure where they’ll find their next meal or lay their heads at night. Feeding Tampa Bay is one of the local organizations stepping up to fill in the gap. In 2021, it served more than 95 million meals across 10 counties. By 2025, it aims to provide 143 million meals each year and ensure everyone in our community has reliable access to food, effectively ending hunger in Tampa Bay. The organization serves the Tampa Bay area in several ways. It’s most famous for its food pantry network, where families can collect free household groceries. Feeding Tampa Bay also offers mobile pantries that travel to food deserts, and in response to the higher cost of many fresh foods, its produce pantry offers nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables on Saturdays. Feeding Tampa Bay also offers numerous other programs. It provides food assistance at after-school and summer programs to ensure kids receive nutritious meals. Its workers help many people with applications for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), so they can transition away from needing the food pantry. Three Trinity Cafe locations offer hot meals with dignity in a full-service restaurant environment. The organization notes that food insecurity can happen to anyone. Many people are only one layoff, natural disaster, or medical emergency away from needing help. Those of us who have more than we need should share the abundance. It’s the right thing to do — and none of us knows when we might end up on the other side of these services. Those looking to get involved with Feeding Tampa Bay have many options. By visiting FeedingTampaBay. org , you can learn how to volunteer your time, donate food, or contribute funds. If you want to help, there are plenty of opportunities. Finally, the seasons of gratitude and giving compel many of us to contribute more to people in need. But while many charities are inundated with volunteers around the holidays, remember that hunger is a constant problem. Feeding Tampa Bay and our other local charities need support year-round.
FIGHTING HUNGER Feeding Tampa Bay Provides Food With Dignity
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BUCKLE UP
Inspired by SavoryTooth.com
CELEBRATING NATIONAL SEAT BELT DAY
INGREDIENTS
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1 1/2 cups vegetable broth, plus 2 tbsp for sautéing
Nov. 14 is National Seat Belt Day, and there is hardly a car safety innovation that deserves more celebration. Seat belts save considerably more lives every year than airbags, and if every American used their seat belt all the time, we could prevent thousands of needless deaths each year. The first seat belts were included in cars in the 1950s, and the three-point seat belt we use today was introduced in 1959. By 1968, the U.S. required them to be included in every new car. But there were no requirements for drivers and passengers to use those seat belts — and most people didn’t. Seat belt use rates at the time hovered around only 11%. Things began to change in 1984, when New York implemented the first primary- enforcement seat belt law, allowing police officers to pull over cars for failure to buckle up. When people started getting fines, they began buckling up in much larger numbers. By 1990, 37 other states had seat belt laws, and seat belt usage rates reached 50%. In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that 90.4% of people use seat belts. That’s great news for everyone. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that seat belts saved 15,000 lives in 2017, but too many lives are still being lost. The NHTSA says 23,824 people died in car crashes in 2020, and 51% were not wearing seat belts. That means thousands of people die unnecessarily each year due to not practicing the simplest safety measure when riding in a car. We hope you’re among the substantial majority who use their seat belt all the time, but it’s still worth debunking some myths. The chances of a seat belt injuring you in a crash or trapping you in a car underwater or fire are much smaller than the chances of dying if you don’t use a seat belt. Airbags are not substitutes for seat belts, and seat belts are much more likely to save your life. Finally, there’s no trip too short to wear a seat belt — 52% of car accidents occur within 5 miles of a person’s home. So, buckle up every time, and always help children safely secure themselves. The few seconds it takes to put on your seat belt could prevent serious injury or even save your life.
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5 cloves garlic, minced
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2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and diced
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2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped
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1 yellow bell pepper, diced
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15-oz can black beans, drained
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15-oz can pinto beans, drained
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28-oz can diced tomatoes
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1 cup cooked quinoa
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1 1/2 tsp paprika
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½ tsp ground cinnamon
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¼ tsp table salt
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¼ tsp ground black pepper
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot, heat 2 tbsp vegetable broth over medium heat. 2. Add garlic, butternut squash, and chipotle peppers. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. 3. Add bell pepper and cook for another 5 minutes. 4. Add black beans, pinto beans, diced tomatoes (with liquid from can), remainder of vegetable broth, quinoa, paprika, cinnamon, salt, and pepper, stirring to combine. 5. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook
uncovered for 10 minutes or until butternut squash is tender, then serve! 3 800-800-4300
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INSIDE 1 2 Appreciating Our Many Blessings It’s National Gratitude Month!
Support Feeding Tampa Bay This Thanksgiving
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How Seat Belts Save Lives
Vegan Butternut Squash Chili
Raising Thankful Children
RAISING THANKFUL CHILDREN
Most parents want their kids to view Thanksgiving as a meaningful event — not just an opportunity to indulge in turkey and mashed potatoes. Unfortunately, most kids’ eyes will glaze over when their parents launch into a lecture about thankfulness. You will likely find better success by emphasizing the value of gratitude all year long. “What do you say?” It’s a question we all ask our young children after someone does something nice for them. This practice instills good manners, but it shouldn’t be confused with teaching gratitude. Imparting the meaning behind the words “thank you” takes something more. If you want grateful children, you need to be grateful parents. Consider how you can incorporate gratitude more into your everyday life. Are you as thankful as you should be? Do you repay favors and write thank-you notes? Do you regularly talk about why you’re so fortunate or what you’re thankful for? Cultivating gratitude in your life sets a good example, and many studies show it benefits your mental health as well. Next, consider how you can encourage your child to reflect on who they’re grateful for. Acts of kindness and returning the favor to those who have been good to us can inspire kids to put their gratitude into action. Doing some yardwork, sharing a toy, or making a painting as a gift can
help children understand how powerful it can be to outwardly show our gratitude for the people who are in our lives.
Consistency is the most crucial factor, so try to find ways you can incorporate gratitude into your everyday routine. Children of any age can keep a gratitude journal with their parents’ help. Some families also use a gratitude jar where each family member can write what they’re grateful for on a slip of paper and add something different to the jar each week. It’s the perfect way to keep gratitude front and center.
These lessons may not sink in immediately, but by cultivating these positive habits in our everyday lives, you will see a big difference in the
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