A Birthday of Gratitude: Giving Back at Salinas Strawberry Farm

November 7th was my birthday — and like a child still at heart, I was eagerly waiting to celebrate with my family, which I did with joy and laughter. As the evening came to a close around 11 p.m., my thoughts shifted from cake and candles to something deeper — our next morning’s visit to Salinas Strawberry Farm to donate food and clothes to the hardworking farmers who bring fresh produce to our tables.

The plan was to drive early to San Jose, meet my friends, and head together to Salinas. We’ve been volunteering with Hands that Care, a local organization led by Hector — a kind, humble soul whose story itself is an inspiration. Having endured hardship in his childhood, Hector once prayed, “If I survive this, I will return to serve my community.” He kept that promise. Today, despite managing his own cleaning business and facing financial challenges, he continues to give — consistently and quietly. Listening to him speak about his daughters pursuing master’s degrees in medical fields filled me with hope. Stories like his remind us how privileged many of us truly are.

This initiative was organized through Vanitha Charity Organization, where a few of us friends collected food cans, rice, winter clothes, socks, and other essentials — simple items that can mean so much. I missed the trip last year, so this time, I was eager to be there in person.

I reached my friend Priya’s home around 7:15 a.m. in San Jose. Since the farmers wouldn’t be arriving until later, Hector suggested we start around 9:30 a.m. In the meantime, Priya made us a warm, delicious breakfast and tea. There’s something special about people like her — kind, grounded, and genuine. I instantly felt a connection. Thank you, Priya, for your hospitality, and to Vanitha’s President Manju Abraham and Chairperson Geeta George, whose leadership continues to inspire me to stay involved.

The 60-mile drive from San Jose to Salinas was long but filled with laughter and conversation. I got to know Dr. Manju from Minneapolis and Priya’s husband Sree, who drove us and helped carry heavy boxes of food and clothes. His quiet strength and helpful nature made our trip smooth and cheerful.

We met Hector at La Patisserie Bakery — and even though we had already eaten, the aroma of pastries was hard to resist. When Hector arrived, his smile said it all — full of gratitude and warmth. He had also coordinated with another group bringing donations that day.

Following him to the Foothill Estate Strawberry Farm, we began setting up tables, sorting cans of soups, beans, noodles, rice, tomato sauce, and other staples. As the farmers came during their breaks, we handed out supplies. What struck me most was their dignity. No one grabbed or rushed. They took only what they needed, often saying “Gracias” and encouraging us to give to others.

There was such quiet grace in their actions — humility in the face of hardship, patience amid long days under the sun. One woman held a donated winter jacket close to her chest, as if embracing warmth itself. In that moment, I realized: the true worth of that jacket wasn’t when I owned it, but when she did.

The day was hot, and I was grateful to Priya for packing hats for us. But looking around, I thought of the farmers — toiling in that same heat, day after day. It was humbling. As we talked more with Hector, we learned about the farmers’ living conditions — some relying on tents as makeshift homes through the winter. We made notes on what they needed most so that we can bring more useful items next time.

Life has a way of teaching us quietly. That day, I learned more about gratitude, patience, and compassion than any book could teach. On the drive back, my heart was full and heavy all at once.

We stopped for lunch, and by the time we reached back, Priya invited us for evening tea. We ended the day with laughter and reflection — a beautiful contrast to the silence of the fields earlier that morning.

As I write this, I can still see the faces of the farmers — their tired smiles, their eyes filled with both fatigue and resilience. These moments are etched in my heart.

Once in a while, we must pause and look around us — beyond our routines, beyond our comfort zones — to truly see the people who make our lives possible. Many around us are struggling: farmers, cleaners, those affected by layoffs, or anyone trying to make ends meet with quiet dignity.

This planet belongs to all of us, and basic human needs should never be a privilege. The disparity we see is not just economic — it’s a reminder of our shared responsibility.

My deepest gratitude to the Vanitha Charity donors and every volunteer who made this effort possible. Your support brought food, warmth, and smiles to those who deserve it most.

Sometimes, the best way to celebrate a birthday is not with gifts we receive, but with the joy we give. ~ Dawn

~ Dawn

Ask for help not because you’re weak, but because you want to remain strong!

 

Today I am going to talk about Help! It's a small word but very powerful and yet many hesitate to ask.

"You are never strong enough that you don't need help." ~ Cesar Chavez 

This word you can use anywhere when you need it and when I say anywhere, what I mean is at work, and at home as well. Many times we go through so much in life that we forget that we can ask for help. There is no one who will judge you because at the end when they hear why we are asking for help let's hope they will get the idea behind it.

I have reached at a level in my career where I know what needs to be done to manage the release work on time. But then I want to learn more. Lately, we are working from home and because of that we don't see our colleagues anymore. At the most its on the slack where we will ask for each other's well being or if they are part of your team then you're just meeting virtually online and then you don't bother with anything else. It has become a routine to run after the release one after the other and other...!

I am getting bored of this routine and hence I have been wondering to learn something new. But each time I look at things, it is outside of my work like a theory but practical is the only way I can learn and if that is done at work what best do I need then. It will make more sense for me and I will be able to learn in true sense being a visual learner. I have been going from website to website and trying to see what I can learn being in my current role which will enhance my skills.

"Don't let your fear of being judged stop you from asking for help when you need it."

I also thought about reaching out to someone at work, in my team who can just allow me to watch them doing and I can ask questions wherever I have doubts. But then I was a bit hesitant and this thought has been in my mind for weeks and months. Nothing was coming out and I was getting restless. When my one on one meeting came with my manager, she asked how is that going? Did you ask if you can watch them and learn from it? And my immediate response was that, no I am going to ask.

"You can do anything but not everything." ~ David Allen

I don't know why I was hesitating because in my mind I was giving all kinds of reasoning what if? So these thoughts kept me away from asking.

Today when I was on my walk I said to myself, I am going to ask and see what they say. In my mind somewhere I was hesitating because I thought they will say no? or it will be a dilemma for them to accommodate this request of mine etc.. !

After my walk, came back had my lunch and I straight away pinged my team member and asked for help.

I was eagerly waiting for a response but you know how things happen? The more you're eager the more delay in response and that increases the suspense altogether. Anyhow, I just walked away from my desk and watered the plants in my backyard and refilled the bird-bath and came back to my desk. To my surprise the answer was sure, that's not a problem.

You see, I was hesitating for something which should not be my concern and for that matter I delayed it for weeks and months. This is about my personal growth but let me tell you this can be for anything.

"Sometimes the loudest cries for help are silent." ~ Harlan Coben

This October month is for so many national awareness month, some in the world and some in specific countries. There's one for breast cancer awareness and the other is domestic violence awareness and I feel in both these cases  please seek help. Don't be under the assumption that it feels okay and so I am okay. 

Please when in doubt, just ask and answer will be this way or that way but at least you will be clear in mind and be relieved that you asked for help! Nothing is too late when we ask for help or advice and you can make choice out of it that's better for you, for your own good.

So my women friends,  please make sure you go for your annual mammogram, you can ask for it. And if you're going through emotional violence it is domestic violence so please seek help. 

"Find your happiness and independence first only then you can give happiness to your loved ones." ~ Dawn

~ Dawn

Note: Now you can listen to the audio version of my blogs in Hindi on the UshaDawn Hindi Podcast on Google, Spotify and Apple Podcasts. Check it out and new episodes uploaded every day 3 AM Pacific Standard Time

Things end but memories last forever..!

 

Today I want to talk about unforgettable experience. I have many when I think of it because in life there are so many opportunities where we experience good or not so good but those remains in our mind like a memory book. The moment you think of it, like each page the incident or the experience unfolds one by one.

"Memories are timeless treasure of heart."

I am going to share one of them today with my friends here.

I was in Toronto, Canada in they year 1997 May timeframe when I had just started a parti-time cashier's job as I was new in the country and I was still looking for a job based on my education and my interest. Once you land your bill starts so its better to get going with any job that you get and that's how I ended up at this role. It was at Marche in downtown. My job was only on weekends because weekdays other cashiers would be there and hence I don't get a chance to work on weekdays but I used that time to apply at different jobs and give interviews etc.

I started my job a week ago and the problem was that I was always reaching my job late though I am always ahead of my time waiting for the bus but I only get it at 9 am and hence I used to be late. I got first time a warning from the manager saying, if I don't come on time he will fire me. 

I was very stressed and not only that but I was very scared too as I was new in the country. I used to be at the stop at 6 am to reach 9 am and still I get the bus at 9 am from my stop. I was very frustrated and I asked the people where I was renting and they also didn't give me any proper guidance as they said go early and stand at the bus-stop.

That day after getting the warning from the boss for the second time, I was very nervous because my fear of loosing this job, then how am I going to pay the rent? How I am going to pay for my grocery, my bus-pass and so forth and all these worries were sitting on my head and I was getting tensed.

"We don't remember days, we remember moments."

This was my 2nd week's weekend and I decided I have to go early no matter what. As usual I got ready and went to the bus-stop and waited. There were not a single person around there except me and at times you will see some cars would drive by and people inside would stare at me. I used to get nervous because being a woman standing alone at the bus-stop early morning and Sun had to come yet. All the street lights were still on and in my mind I would say, You have to reach on time. You can't give another change for your boss to scold you.

I kept repeating in my mind and I saw couple people wearing jackets walking by the bus-stop. But I thought they must be going some other place so I didn't bother but when I saw frequency of people going increased, I stopped one guy who was passing by the bus-stop and I said, Excuse me please! do you know when the bus will come because I have been waiting since long time and I have to reach downtown by 9 am. Can you help?

The guy seemed from Sri Lanka and how you will wonder but it's not a tough to recognize for people like us who are coming from India. If I say they have a different look, some will laugh but believe me, Sri Lankan Tamil person has a unique feature and they speak different type of Tamil language than people speaking Tamil in Chennai, India.

The guy looked at me and smiled, said the bus here will come at 9 am and if you want to catch an early bus then you can walk with me as on weekends, this area buses only starts at 9 am whereas, if we walk a half a mile, you will see there is Blue Night Network bus service that goes overnight. This was an enlightenment for me because first of all no one told me about this and now I was going to discover this blue night service bus which I will have to walk a mile now from my home but at least there is a hope.

I literally wanted to hold his hand and say thank you, but he was a stranger and I said I will walk behind you but thank you for your guidance because if today you were not here I probably would have lost my job. He smiled and walked in front.

"Sometimes you will never know the true value of a moment until it becomes a memory."

I reached the stop and what I see is all those people who were passing by the bus-stop that I was waiting at they were all heading to this bus-stop to catch the blue night service bus so they can go to their work.

I was so happy, so relieved, so tension-free that when I got in the bus I thanked the gentleman again and then I went and stood at one corner as the bus was crowded and seats were all taken. 

As the bus was crossing Eglington station due to traffic the bus was stopping in between and this gentleman got down in between and then suddenly appeared with two coffee in his hand and offered one to me. I was surprised but he said please have it, you looked so tensed I thought I can at least do this because I don't know if I will ever meet you again.

Those words melt my heart and I accepted the coffee and thanked him again. After taking few sips when I look, this man disappeared and I kept on looking for him front of the bus back of the bus, inside and outside of the bus and I couldn't find him ever.

"People say that bad memories cause the most pain, but actually it's the good ones that drive you insane."

That day onwards I was always on time in fact ahead of my schedule and manager was happy too.

Even today when I think of that day, I tell myself if he had not shown the way to the blue night service bus then probably I would have lost my job. I was new and naive in that country and anyone could easily make out that I am new here and could have taken advantage of my situation but nothing like that happened.

I still remember that face but I never met him ever after that day.

Often we meet people in life for a reasons!

"Life brings tears, smiles and memories. The tears dry, smiles fade, but the memories last forever."

~ Dawn