As we prepare for the real, official and ubiquitous reopening of the world—as marked by kids going back to school in person everywhere—I have to think my green, healthy and sustainable living card would be revoked should I fail to illuminate the seismic shift in global attitudes about human and environmental health, and the growing recognition that the two might actually be related. While there’s a lot of information out there about the origins of Covid-19, and arguably not enough information about who gets it and how, and why it affects some people and not others, what’s for certain is that we’ve had a very loud, persistent year-and-a-half-long wakeup call.

Universally, what makes Covid-19 so scary is all the unknowns. It’s called the “novel” coronavirus for good reason: It’s new, not known or seen before, while also not totally unexpected. In any event, there’s a dearth of information about what really makes the virus tick. But as with all things, there is some good to be found there. In this case, the good is not in the disease itself, but rather in the lessons we’ve learned, in our responses, in our changed behavior and attitudes, and in our growth—personal, scientific, cultural, societal and medical.

When I lived in South Florida, we would affectionately refer to some hurricanes as “saint”—as in Saint Andrew or Saint Rita—as an acknowledgment that some of the rebuilding they caused would not have happened otherwise, along with other desirable and much-needed changes. Now, in a similar way, some of us are looking for Covid’s “silver lining,” which we have been told exists in every cloud. This is hard, given that more than 600,000 souls in our country and 4 million around the world are no longer with us because of the virus—a few of whom were near and dear to me. However, I press on, remembering that our instruction manual, the Bible, tells us that our Creator works in all things for the good, to bring about His perfect will.

So, here are some of my silver linings:

·         I’ve developed a healthy-eating lifestyle (eating less in general, and nothing processed—only fresh and natural foods), and as a result I’ve lost 90 pounds.

·         I have a sense of confidence and well-being born of the knowledge that I can gain significant control over my health by being intentional about strengthening my immune system.

·         For any health issues I experience, I now seek out natural remedies and treatments first.

·         I’m consistently working out five days per week because I want to—it makes my body feel alive.

·         I appreciate the value of moving through life more slowly, knowing that if I don’t do everything now, I will still be OK.

·         I’ve grown more bold about talking to anyone I come in contact with about environmental issues and how they affect us personally.

As we move toward what I hope is the end of this pandemic, or at least a tolerable new normal, I challenge you to search for your silver linings. This month’s issue will offer you insights and encouragement along the way. Start with our feature article, “Think Yourself Happy,” [MOU1] which shows how inextricably health, wellness and happiness are intertwined, and how to a substantial degree, your happiness is up to you. And don’t miss Ronica O’Hara’s article on back-to-school wellness. We can use her tips as we head back to the office too.

As always, Natural Awakenings is full of bite-sized chunks of information as well as in-depth pieces that will whet your appetite to learn more about living a healthier life on a healthy planet.

 Blessings until next month.