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Natural Awakenings Dallas -Fort Worth Metroplex Edition

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August 2011 Publisher Letter

Texans beat the summer heat in many ways. My approach is to be lazy, footloose and surrounded by water. I’m fixated on H2O: I want to drink icy beverages, sprinkle my skin until it’s cool and dive into the nearest body of water at every opportunity. I generally dream about holing up indoors until the sun goes down and doing bare minimum chores. It’s been this way every summer for as long as I remember, and I don’t imagine it’s going to change anytime soon, although maybe someday I’ll really act upon it!

I don’t really see any of this as a bad thing, just one of life’s pleasures. Starting when I was 7, I would spend five days a week from June through July splashing about in morning swimming lessons, then returning to the pool to hang out all evening. Afterwards, my brother, sister and I would walk the two miles home in what must have been 100-degree heat. Somehow, it didn’t seem that hot back then.

I still think of these halcyon days often, especially when I need to go out and don’t want to—until the sun goes down. I chuckle when I recall why it took me eight summers to get beyond the pool instructor’s “swims like a frog” designation to earn the coveted “swims like a fish.” I could blame it on interrupted sessions due to family summer vacations and church activities. In actuality, I preferred to reregister for the beginner’s class each summer because I again hoped to be the best swimmer in my class—and I usually was.

Thus, I’m delighted to share Marty Miron’s “Aquatic Fitness Fun” article this month. Plus, we have the article, “What’s in Your Water?” making the connection between exposure to healthy water inside and out.

Much of this month’s issue speaks to the health and wellness of Vibrant Children and Families. My personal favorite, Lisa Marshall’s “Drug-Free Kids,” pulls our heartstrings as we examine how we can care for children as God ordained, in a manner in harmony with the environment and with the common sense he provided to protect and nurture them.

We continue to celebrate DFW Metroplex’s green and sustainable businesses, business practices and green jobs. This month, we drill deep into sustainable investing, courtesy of Mitch Fine’s Op Ed, where he explores its rich benefits and provides helpful definitions.

We ask that you be a mindful steward when you seek out and patronize those that support our local natural living community by advertising in this magazine. Because of them, we are able to bring you the high quality, timely and cutting-edge information you have come to expect month after month. Remember, green living is healthy, and healthy living is green.

Blessings,

Bernice Butler, Publisher