8 | CANADIAN LIVING NOVEMBER 2019from the editors
We hear a lot about self-care these days. We’re advised to
pamper ourselves with cosmetics, indulge in decadent foods
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ics and take time to think about what’s really important. In
a world where everything is go-go-go, there never seems
to be enough time to focus on ourselves and just “be.” And
that’s important to our health and well-being, no question.
But when was the last time you went out of your way to help
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mental and physical, of giving back, citing evidence of every-
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to being happier for longer periods of time.
Since this is the giving time of year, this issue we’re high-
lighting some people who have inspired us to pay it forward.
On page 52, you will meet Jennifer Murray-Stokes (shown
above left, with her stepdaughter, Stephanie) and her family,of Hammonds Plains, Nova Scotia, in our story “Hope Totes.”
Jennifer is the winner of the contest we ran last year in part-
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make a change in their community for the better. Together
with her husband and kids—and a whole passel of kind and
generous people who donated time, money and products—
Jennifer distributed 200 tote bags of essentials to people in
her region living with homelessness. As Jennifer will attest,
it was a positive, life-changing experience for everyone
involved. We hope the Murray-Stokes’ inspiring story will
touch your hearts as much as it has touched ours.[email protected] facebook.com/canadianliving
twitter.com/canadianliving instagram.com/canadianlivingJennifer Murray-Stokes (left) is the
winner of the Canadian Living/WE
Charity contest we ran last year. Read
about her inspiring endeavour in our
story “Hope Totes” on page 52.The kindness of
strangers