'The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention” — Oscar Wilde November is the month when we invite friends and family to gather, reflect, give thanks and share our bounty.
If you’re reading this article today it’s likely you’re sitting in the comfort of your kitchen as you drink your morning coffee or maybe you’re in your home office about to compose an email.
Consider that Fountain Valley is home to 18,852 residences with a population of 57,139. Sixty-seven percent of those homes are owner occupied.
Nearly 31 percent of those households have children and 69 percent do not. The median household income is $92,765.
Our homes are our sanctuaries.
Walk through the door and it’s the place where you can be your most authentic self. You can peel off the layers of whatever stresses you’ve encountered on the other side of the door. You can embrace whatever or whoever awaits your arrival — your spouse, kids, pets or your favorite chair. Turn up the music or watch your favorite show.
Every prayer you whisper, each tear you shed, or laugh you bellow, every story you tell or secret you share, the walls of your home hear it all, welcome it all and bear it all. So, this month, when you count your blessings and express your gratitude, look up, look around and smile. Whether you rent it or own it, your home is where you can recover from whatever life throws at you.
Consider all the community ame-nities that Fountain Valley offers kids and adults: neighborhood parks, golf courses, sports fields, a senior center, a recreation center, hospitals, and award-winning schools. None of these could operate as efficiently and provide the services we receive without the dedication of good neighbor volunteers, city staff and business owners who sponsor events.
Let’s also give thanks to Fountain Valley’s non-profits, many of which run on shoestring budgets but provide an array of scholarships and services to those in need: the FV Rotary Club, FV Woman’s Club, Kiwanis Club of Fountain Valley, Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley and the FV Community Foundation.
An honorable mention also goes to the social media groups that foster neighborly advice and recommendations and facilitate cooperation when help is needed. The administrators all have day jobs of their own but monitor these sites to ensure civil discourse is maintained.
We are fortunate indeed to live in a city that has a climate that is the envy of the rest of the nation. Fountain Valley boasts its own magazine with stories for and about its neighbors.
This month as we partake of the goodness all around us and celebrate the season with joyful hearts, let’s be mindful of those who are not as fortunate.
If you and/or your loved ones want to share your bounty, contact any one of Fountain Valley’s places of worship.
Many collect and distribute food to others in need. In so doing, you bless yourself and others. Happy Thanksgiving, one and all.