Recently, as national media has rallied around the potential presidential candidates, their battering and lively debates, I began to take a closer look at my own collective beliefs and which prospect could best lead the future of our country and most aligned with my own visions and top priorities. Yet, the lines can seemed a bit blurred, with flip-flopping on the issues, focus on hair bopping concerns and more vague responses than you would expect on a blind date, is certainly is not as clear as I had hoped. Who has the most money and fame appears to get the highest ratings and what’s really important seems to be missing.

Natural Awakenings feature article this month, True Wealth, by Judith Fertig, may have you reconsidering your beliefs in what you value most. Although we need money to pay for the food we eat, the clothes we wear and homes we live in…have we lost our true perception of what those needs really are.

Discovering the ability to grow your own meals, cutting out the things you can’t grow, using indigenous weeds and plants for medicinal remedies and to care for our skin, hair and nurture our bodies, is just one way to look at the wealth differently. All the sudden, those with the most sun, rich soil, clean water and valuable knowledge are truly the wealthy ones. Once you view the issues from this prospective, money pales in comparison.

When I recently moved into our new home, which I now share part-time with my Aunt and her husband, I was thrilled to make space for two dinning room tables, 16 chairs, 3 couches and 4 doggie beds. I now had all the accommodations I could possibly need for all our friends and family to visit, enjoy big family meals and spend quality time together. Even though it’s a much smaller space, we have much more to share –including the 101 family pictures that adorn every ounce of extra space in our new dwelling.

As the season brings us fresh cool air and the fall season sets in, we can all look forward to the many free community festivals and healthy living happenings that give us amble opportunity to appreciate and capitalize on the wealth of natural resource and riches that surrounds us.

It’s time to oil up our bicycles, plant our hardy winter vegies and find a quite place under the changing leaves – and be grateful.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Scott & Daralyn