Happy Holidays to Our NAHN Familia

Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, and Happy New Year! No matter what festivity that you celebrate this holiday season, it is about spending time with family and friends. Make memories— do things that you will remember for a lifetime. Cherish this time. Remember to slow down and enjoy the simple things in life. Be caring to others who are diverse and may feel marginalized. During this time of year, it is so important that we show charity to those in need. Despite how we may feel at times, that we do not have enough, that we have so much less than others, that others are so much better off than us, I guarantee you, there is someone who has less than you. There is someone who needs your help. And there is someone whose life you can change this holiday season. Show charity and give to others who have less than you. If you have no money to give, then give your time. If you live in excess, maybe it is time to clear out those closets and donate some clothes to the needy. There are plenty of places that can benefit from giving during the season. Take the time to forgive. Forgive someone or something that you have held a grudge for. Maybe someone has hurt you and you have never let that go. Forgiveness gives us freedom and gives us more time for love and caring. Each time we forgive, we learn how to forgive and it makes it easier for the next time—it is like exercising—you get stronger and are able to forgive more easily. Eventually, forgiveness is an intuition and is a great way to live. This is the perfect time of year to start this practice. Show gratitude for all the gifts you have received in your own life—like your work, your family, your communities, and most of all being a part of this organization. Tell someone how much you appreciate what he or she has done for you. Do something special/different at work or for your church. Engage in an activity to help your community. Be grateful and share this gratitude with everyone you meet. I want to thank everyone for a great year at the National Association of Hispanic Nurses (NAHN). As I look back at 2018, we have made some great strides in NAHN. Our membership continues to grow. We have five new chapters in development. We have chapters that are growing and influencing Latino health care outcomes. Our chapters are actively engaged in community engagement and are changing the health outcomes of our families and communities. We are actively involved in health policy. We have been funded with grants that have positively affected our Latino communities. We are planning our Second Latino Leadership Institute to be held in Puerto Rico in January. We are a great organization with a great future. More than ever, I want to thank the people I work with at NAHN, including all the Executive Board members, who are so very committed to this organization. Our managing company works diligently for us, and I thank Cresta Archeletta as our Executive Director for leading our way. And I want to especially thank our chapter presidents who are the reason of our organization’s success. May you have a wonderful holiday season. May the care you provide to others also show through the care people return to you. May you be overwhelmed with love and kindness from your family and friends. May you feel appreciated by your patients and those who you serve. May your soul be overwhelmed with peace, love, and charity. I hope you see miracles that happen every day—and they do happen if you open up your eyes and ears to witnessing them.