By now many of you know of the devastating 7.0 earthquake that shook Haiti Tuesday, January 12, 2010.
One of my dear friends and colleagues, Shelly Benfield, has been in Haiti for the last two weeks, working with Midwives for Haiti. I was working Tuesday in the hospital and luckily we received news quickly that she and her family were fine. (Telephone service was unavailable, but internet service was!)
I continue to be saddened by the news, but also heartened by the many stories of people helping each other. I once worked for Doctors Without Borders and continue to receive regular bulletins from them. They currently have medical teams working in Haiti and are setting up emergency clinics to respond to many critical needs. I received this note yesterday from a staff member: “People are helping and comforting each other.”
I think in light of any great tragedy it is so important that we honor and appreciate what we have – and very often that comes down to the best of what we have to offer: HOPE and LOVE.
P.S. If you would like to donate to relief efforts in Haiti, I have a few suggestions: Midwives for Haiti, of course, and Doctors Without Borders (http://bit.ly/6tCOkG) and Heifer International. Heifer is not a “first responder,” like Doctors Without Borders, but they have projects that provide families with farm animals and training. Donations to Heifer will help Haitian families recover in the wake of the earthquake (http://bit.ly/579YnG).
I hope you enjoy reading what others are appreciating this week. And, as always, please leave a comment if you’d like to share what you are appreciating now!
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Today, I shared one of my great loves with one of my great loves. I had no idea how fun it would be to ski with my little girl (ahem, medium-sized girl). With my son in snowboard school, we two girls hit the slopes together. Suffice to say, it was a string of perfect moments. One after the other. She was gleeful and proud, wanting to show me her new-found skills. I was gleeful and proud watching her.
After our joy-filled day together, we picked Andre up at his class. The two of them started snowman-building immediately. A string of perfect moments…one after the other.
- Ruthie Yarme
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I am appreciating the fact that when my grandmother passed away on Monday afternoon, we all had a chance for closure, and that she was surrounded by beautiful music, family and so much love while she was passing away. I am so grateful that she was my grandmother, and that I had such an awesome example of a graceful, loving, creative, strong woman… See More. She helped my mother become the amazing woman that she is, and planted pearls of wisdom like seeds in our hearts which will grow within me throughout my life. I will pass these to my children, and they will to their children, and to theirs… to grow forever. May she rest in peace, in the palm of God’s hand.
- Marilyn Biggers
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Playing in the snow with boys wrapped up to their noses 
- Miranda
I have been appreciating SUNSHINE and warmer weather! I’m beginning to thaw out. . .
- Darlene Wright
Considering Haiti…I am appreciating my beautiful home, warm water, hot coffee, clean clothes, a job….I’m appreciating the very basics of life…..♥
- Mary Ohlman Schaperow
I’m oh so grateful for friends to bounce ideas off of and who let me dream freely!
- Lori Koop
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This week, I am appreciating the universe’s gift of forcing me to rethink my career and for opening up new possibilities that I hadn’t even thought of yet, for Christine Kane’s Uplevel Your Life program coming at just the right time to help me work through it, for my coach, Tonya Williams, being there right when I needed her and my wonderful dog Islay Bear who loves me unconditionally even when I put a velvet scarf with a bell on him!
- Kathy Troidle Jackson, Ghent, NY
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Oh, how I love this! Thank you, everyone, for your contributions. They are so lovely to read! I appreciate *you* SO much!
I am appreciating the basics right now: food, shelter, water and family. I also am appreciating my yoga practice which helps me to notice stress or anxiety when it happens and allows me to let it go. And, I totally appreciate this blog.
Thanks so much, Colleen, for sharing what you are appreciating! I’d love for you to write for this blog about your yoga practice – from what you’ve shared in the past it seems like it offers benefits on SO many levels!
Such abundance today for WAYA day! I appreciate reading all of your posts. I am especially moved by Marilyn’s. Thank you for sharing your loving tribute. Such abundance!
My gratitude list has been very long as of late. Today I am appreciating the huge amount of love given to me freely from family and friends, the rainy grey sky giving off the gentle light through the windows, the women in my life to inspire and urge me to reach deeply and live big with authenticity and the kitties curled on the back of the chair where I sit.
Hugs, Stacey!
Hi Amy! Thanks SO much for sharing! You painted a lovely picture with your words of appreciation and it was a pleasure to look in!
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