Happy Earth month, dear readers! Spring is unfolding, and we’re witnessing nature transforming itself into an exquisite, yet untamed beauty, inspiring a sense of excitement and optimism as the planet is reawakening and bursting with activity. Spring is my favorite time of the year because it always gives me a profound sense of rediscovery, exhilaration and hope. Hearing so many birds singing and frogs croaking fills my heart with immense peace and joy. I am excited just to be able to kick my shoes off and run around outside barefooted, feeling the earth between my toes.

            This takes me back to my youth, as I watched my beloved grandpa tending to his fruit trees and gardens. Some of my fondest childhood memories include frolicking barefoot and playing care-freely while he tended to budding flowers and sprouting vegetables. I remember his warm, bright smile when I served him a beautifully decorated, helicopter-winged mud pie, too! His love and appreciation for nature gifted me, in turn, with a similar affinity, as well as a passion to preserve and honor Mother Earth.

            As we celebrate Earth Day on April 22, people all over the world are showing a rising concern for the environment and what is happening to the land, rivers, lakes and air. It is time to think beyond our own local homes and towns to find ways to contribute to the continued health of our entire planet, because it’s all connected. Earth-friendly, sustainable living starts from the ground up, beginning with each of us. There is congruence between our own well-being and the way everyday lifestyle changes affect that. We must remember too, that health is a mindset of hope.  To live life fully, it is important to make constant tweaks to our routine and seek consistent improvement for ourselves and all other beings.

            Because everyone is at a different place along the continuum of health and wellness, there is always an opportunity to learn more. From the start, we’ve felt that Natural Awakenings’ intention is to empower people with information. It is our mission to positively impact and improve the quality of your whole family’s health by bringing you together with local resources of education and inspiration.

            Our local vision aligns with that of our parent company to lead as a role model in the industry, to support healthy living both through our content and the way we do business. To that end, we are committed to consistently using 90 to 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper in the magazine, along with soy-based ink and, equally important, printing only on uncoated stock.  When you know the facts about the way we all pay for the needless environmental destruction and waste resulting from the use of old-school glossy technology, going green is the obvious choice.

            Since the birth of our magazine, we have received an abundance of support from many directions, and for that, we are forever grateful. As publishers, we truly delight in sharing Natural Awakenings with our growing healthy living community. We send our heartfelt thanks out to every reader, advertiser, contribution and distributor.

            We hope you will think of our advertisers and distributors when seeking sources for your path to healthier living. Our small planet needs us, and we need each other. By making careful, conscious decisions, each of us, one by one, can make a real difference—at home, in our communities and around the world.

            This month, take a moment to enjoy and appreciate all that nature continually provides to us.

            Plant your thoughts and see your ideas blossom and unfold!

Be Well and Shine,

Trina and John

Owners/Publishers