September 25, 2025 | By Berta P. Moniz, Founder
While I was at work, a gentleman approached me and asked if I could help him read the coffee labels. He had just left the eye doctor and couldn’t see clearly. What began as a small act of kindness turned into a conversation I’ll never forget.
At the end of our conversation, Tom — a very successful businessman — asked me: “What do you want out of Sunflower Seeds of Healing?”
Without hesitation, I answered: “I want peace and a better world.”
When Tom left, I thought about his question more deeply. I realized that Sunflower Seeds of Healing is, at its heart, about believing in yourself — about creating something out of nothing, and the incredible feeling that comes from making it happen on your own.
What struck me most was not just his words, but the way he listened and encouraged me. Here was someone with a lifetime of success, yet he chose to pause, listen, and lift me up with his kindness. That reminder — that kindness can plant hope in someone else’s heart — is exactly what Sunflower Seeds of Healing is all about. Many years ago, my favorite word was believe, and even now I still hold onto it. Believing gives us strength. Believing gives us courage. Believing transforms the impossible into something possible.
Before he walked away, Tom left me with words that still echo like a challenge:
“If you want it, go big. Don’t go mediocre.”
And so, I will.