Letter from the editor

They say that with age comes wisdom and as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned many things - celebrate occasions big and small with loved ones because you never know when the last one will be, no matter how cool you think you are, your kids will tell you otherwise and that if you want to facilitate real change - you get involved, you fight for a seat at the head of the table and then, you build a longer table to create more opportunity.

One lesson that stays with me is that life doesn’t get easier - we merely get stronger and more resilient.

In addition to being Men’s Mental Health month, LGBTQIA+ Pride month and Immigrant Heritage month, June is when we celebrate Juneteenth - a holiday to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States.

With that in mind, it only made sense that this month’s issue of The Well of PBC focus on recovery, resiliency and how strength can be derived both internally and through the bonds of a trusted community.

Our feature story spotlights the opioid crisis in Palm Beach County and how people from all walks of life - politicians, mothers who lost their children, grown children that have lost parents, healthcare professionals and folks in recovery themselves - claimed their seat at the table in the hopes of moving forward and investing in a recovery-oriented system of care which proposes the ideal that recovery is for everyone. Every person, every family and every community.

We had a conversation with two members of PBC’s Peer Leadership Council about the importance of peer leadership and empathy. We talked to Zach Shaffer, vice-president of Florida Atlantic University’s Collegiate Recovery Community about how a strong community is essential to success both academically and through the recovery journey.

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And we talked to Patrick Livingston, founder of Arms of Hope, a Lake Worth Beach based non-profit organization serving up promise alongside a free warm meal for those who are struggling.

Whether resilience is found through a reservoir of internal fortitude or through the tested and steadfast connection to family, friends and community - we celebrate this strength and the hope that it kindles.

We are honored to share stories of the resilience of Palm Beach County residents - their adaptability, their refusal to be reduced by adversity and above all, their desire to go forth, reach out and walk alongside others on a similar journey to becoming their best selves.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on our June edition and hope you find inspiration in these stories but above all, we hope that if you or someone you know is struggling - you can lean on the strength of others and know that there are resources available to you to ensure you make it through.

As a wise person once said - if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Let’s all go further. Together.

Julie Khanna, Editor-in-Chief

thewell@bewellpbc.org

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