Let’s just say this isn’t the letter we were expecting to write. April 22 will be the 50th anniversary of Earth Day—an occasion Natural Awakenings celebrates with gusto every year. Now we’re publishing news about local events with the caveat that they may be cancelled or postponed. (We’ll keep you up to date online through our website, NaturalAwakeningsNWF.com, and through our social media and e-blasts.)  

Then again—by sheer serendipity—the theme of this month’s issue couldn’t be more perfect for the challenge we collectively face. As we all spend more time at home for everyone’s benefit, “home” needs to feel safe and comforting. Our feature article, “A Home That Heals,” page 40, explains how to create “nourishing corners” as a means of self-care, and offers tips from feng shui expert Bridget Saraka for making any-sized space a healing sanctuary from noise and clutter—literal and figurative. Meanwhile our Healthy Kids column, page 36, lists specific steps you can take to make your home healthier for your children, from switching to natural disinfectants to stocking up on nutritious snacks. With the weather turning gorgeous and the kids on break from school, this is a perfect opportunity to throw open the windows and do some eco-friendly spring cleaning.

This unprecedented situation also presents a far larger opportunity—a chance to hit reset on our lives by stripping out the unnecessary things and keeping the things that feed our souls. We’re already seeing that happening. Parents are playing with their kids. Younger neighbors are finding creative ways to help older ones. Virtual communities are quickly coalescing, the way Americans famously do in times of crisis, to support individuals and local businesses economically imperiled by pandemic. (Our strong suggestion: Keep your dollars local, where they will do the most good, through online orders and donations, or by buying gift cards for later use. That way the small businesses you love will still be there when coronavirus goes away. And it will.)

People are prioritizing people again, with the same spirit of giving that comes after a natural disaster. And if there’s any community that has demonstrated that giving spirit time and time again, it’s the Panhandle. We know how to hunker down in a storm—and then get up, check on our neighbors, and pick up the pieces together.

So by all means stay informed, but keep your focus close to home: your family, your neighbors, your community and, yes, yourself. 

Stay safe, and see you next month,

Scott and Daralyn