With Appreciation – A List 1



I am feeling appreciative that I’m an appreciator of the bounty of this world.


I appreciate the arts events that I’ve participated in over the past 2 years courtesy of my gig as marketing consultant with Door2Door to the Arts by SCM.  In this capacity, I put together seasonal calendars of arts events.  This fall I’ve attended:  a BSO rehearsal with YoYo Ma, a trip to the Museum of Russian Icons, a concert by the Cantata Singers, a talk by Malcolm Rogers, Director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston,  and  Candide at the Huntington Theatre.  I look forward to attending Martinis and Merriment at the Jewish Community Center in Newton tonight and Singers’ Night at Berklee College of Music on Tuesday.  (I am a culture vulture in case you can’t tell.)

I appreciate other arts events like Roxbury Open Studios and a talk by author Walter Moseley at Roxbury Community College recently.


I appreciate living in Dorchester.  Last night it was my pleasure to attend the latest talk of the Dorchester Speaker’s Forum:  50 Years Later: Jane Jacobs and The Death and Life of Great American Cities.  More than 125 people gathered at All Saints Church on a crisp Friday evening and listened to the wisdom of the panelists:  Gov. Michael S. Dukakis, Glenna Long (author of Genius of Common Sense: The Story of Janet Jacobs and “The Death & Life of Great American Cities”, M. David Lee, a partner of the architecture and planning firm, Stull and Lee; and Frank Keefe, a Boston developer, who served as moderator.   It was a convivial evening that featured rich discussion during which the panelists, especially Gov. Dukakis, shared the hard-won battle to prevent what Boston might have been if the continued path of so-called urban renewal that decimated the West End of the city had been allowed across the city.  (While some skirmishes were lost, the battle was won.)


I appreciate facilitating two successful workshops in the past 2 weeks.  The first was “Selling Yourself on Paper” (part 1 of Pick-Up Your Power and Use It to Get a Job). The second was Discovering Who I Am: Guiding Young Children as They Learn about Their Racial/Ethnic Identity” at the A View from All Sides Conference in Marlboro.  I appreciate Parent University of the Boston Public Schools and Children’s Trust Fund respectively for selecting me to do these workshops. 


I appreciate the deliciousness of the fall soups that I’ve begun making in earnest.  Nothing is more soul-warming that homemade soup on a crisp fall day!


I appreciate an unexpected payment for work done voluntarily.  (It came right on time.)


I appreciate receiving a Roxbury Pudding Stone Award at the Heart of the Hub fundraising event from Discover Roxbury.  I stepped down from the board after many years of service in June 2011.  It is affirming to get an award from people who know you!  (Thanks, again, everyone.)  And I appreciate that DR has taken over Roxbury Open Studios, an event I founded, thereby ensuring its continuance.


I appreciate the people who’ve ordered copies of two my two booklets, Pushing Through Shyness: Networking Tips when you’re shy, slow-to-warm-up, inexperienced or just don’t feel like you belong (a mouthful if ever there was one) and Handling Rejection.*  Thank you.


I appreciate having many irons in the fire and the possibility of an additional iron or two because of 1 recent and another upcoming interview.


I appreciate holding on to love despite a recent rocky time in my marriage.


I appreciate:



  • the comics who provide laughter.

  • the writers who write so many incredible novels, stories, memoirs & poetry that I will never lack for material to read.

  • the musicians who provide music to dance to, groove to, make love to…

  • food, glorious food. 

  • my life despite occasional turmoil and uncertainty. 

I appreciate my faith and my doubts.


I truly appreciate my family:




    • the children I birthed,

    • the granddaughter I adore,

    • the husband I found (and who found me),

    • my mother who is unfailing in her love, and

    • my sister, brother and the rest of everyone in St. Louis who know me from the beginnings of my journey.

And I appreciate you, my readers, some known to me, others unknown to me.




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*Copies of my booklets can be ordered via my website: under the putlications button.


About Candelaria Silva

Candelaria Silva-Collins is a marketing, community outreach and programming consultant; writer; and trainer/facilitator who lives in Boston, Massachusetts. She has designed and facilitated workshops on a wide variety of topics including communication, facilitation, job search skills, team building, and parenting issues. She currently coordinates the Community Membership Program of the Huntington Theatre Company. Her work as Director of ACT Roxbury was profiled in several publications, including The Creative Communities Builders Handbook. Candelaria’s children’s stories, short stories, essays and reviews have been published in local and national publications and she is an active blogger. Her publications include the booklets, Handling Rejection; Pushing through Shyness: Networking Tips when You’re Shy, Slow to Warm Up or Just don’t Feel you Belong; and Real Questions about Sex & Relationships for Teens: A Discussion Guide for Parents. She has served on the boards of Goddard College, Wheelock Family Theatre, Boston Foundation for Architecture, and Discover Roxbury. She is currently Chair, Designators of the Henderson Foundation.

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