I feel like I am waking up! I wish more people would as well. I always knew the value of having high quality food, and I made that a priority for most of my life. But how one views quality is very, very relative.

After moving to a new location, my sense of what is acceptible changed somewhat. Mostly because it was much more difficult to eat purely fresh food. Its also not in the consciousness in the area. Two things happened which I feel has helped me to feel like I have woke up.

One was that my garden is starting to look like its 'waking up'. Its been over a year of trying to garden in depleted and compact soil. Nothing much seemed to come up or live very well after planting. But after adding some finished compost and planting something, I feel I have the potential for some really good fresh food again. Man what I just planted has really grown. The new growth that took place in 2 weeks took months to grow prior to adding the compost. What a difference!

The other event was watching "Opera". There was a poor woman who had health issues and had a terrible diet. The doctors went over all her food in the house, and pointed out how terrible things were. This woman ate ONLY processed food, cooked food. The doctors focused on the amount of sugar, fat and salt. And also artifical ingredients like trans fats, corn syrup etc... No wonder she had issues. But what they thought was ok actually looked pretty depleted and scratchy. What makes me upset is that most people in my town think ALL of that stuff is ok, normal. And to eat healthy is fanatical, or somehow boring.

They also showed a woman having heart by pass surgery. That was pretty shocking. I had never seen a heart with a thick white fatty layer like that. Also the way it just flattened out when they stopped the heart. In other film I have seen of this, the heard remained at least a little rounded, but hers went FLAT. 40 years of smoking, with poor diet and no exercize. That was the point of showing this. I hope more people wake up.

I just find it amazing how my perception has changed of most everything since the garden started looking better. Its almost as if I couldn't allow myself to see things differently without the potential of something better. I also see eating better as a vehicle for a better life in general. And not just an end in itself. Prior to this it was all about food, and centering my life around that, which drove my partner nuts. So, its interesting that I feel enthused again about this stuff, but from a different vantage point.

Even though I've always been interested in natural living, I am also finding that I've held some very unnatural beliefs about things.... little things here and there.

The support of this forum has been immeasurable...I learn things here every day which help clarify my definition of 'natural'.

Unnatural belief? Yes, I continue to realize things everyday.

mislu

the gorgeous garden sounds like a powerful thing

La veronique,
Yes, a great garden can really help make ones living space more enjoyable. My garden is very slowly coming along. Somethings actually grow now. previously almost everything either didn't come up or promptly died after planting.

La veronique,
I just noticed an interesting plant today in my garden. I planted paw paw seeds, and I think one is sprouting. I am so excited. I hope that it grows and flurishes.

I also got some new cuttings for an orange berry. A friend of my partner has them in his yard. They are easy to grow, and also make a great ground cover. I hope these survive as well!