Say NO to Distraction, Discouragement, and Devaluation!
To 
our collaborators, partners and cheerleaders —
It has been an incredible year! I truly believe with people like you and your teams, the future for our nation’s children and families looks brighter than ever! Yes, it’s a very long road, and hard, hard work. But we cannot allow the enormity of what needs to be done to distract us from doing it. We cannot allow naysayers to discourage us. We cannot allow those people with closed minds, or who are resistant to change, to devalue our work. Our nation’s children need us… need you!
I believe we are all called to a higher purpose than any one individual or any single organization. I recall one Saturday night when Rick Warren said, as a small part of his message, “We’re here on Earth sixty, seventy, eighty years, and then we’re gone.” It was a casual comment, but it struck me hard and deep at that moment how brief life really is. That was almost 23 years ago, and his comment still remains in my mind. It is easy to get caught up and bogged down in the “daily-ness” of our jobs. But I encourage you to take some time in these last few days of 2017 to remember that your work – each and every day – has tremendous value to the children and families that need you. And together – with the power of our collective passion and devotion to this work – we are creating, and will continue to create positive change in this nation. Let’s make this nation safe, secure, and loving for our kiddos and each other.
I count myself very fortunate – blessed – to be working alongside people like you. The team at ChildWise Institute offer ourselves to you in service of your work and the well-being of children and families everywhere. Please let us know how we can increase our collective impact with you in this coming year.
In the meantime, I wish you a warm, peaceful and beautiful holiday!
Todd Garrison
Executive Director – Curator
ChildWise Institute
406-513-1177
ChildWise Institute
