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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

Palo-Santo-Candles

More Lessons in Life

We received a lot of positive feedback on the Publishers Letter in November, so I thought I would just do a little continuation with a few personal comments.

Honesty is so important. It is the link to integrity, friendship, relationships and self. It is not always easy and is sometimes a challenge, but like all of life, if we pay attention, understand we are human, stay open and be willing to admit our shortcomings, the rewards are priceless.

Interpersonal relationships. Building this skill pays back in life, in business, in parenting, in everything human. We should be teaching it in our schools, from day one to college graduation. Perfecting it is priceless.

The value of our health. This really hits home over time. From invincible as a teen to vulnerable as a senior—the value of our decisions to our health becomes evident.

Gratitude is a way of life. The dividends this practice brings are beyond description. See the good.

Forgiveness rocks—for both sides. What a release! Forgiveness is a wonderful and essential component of good mental health.

We all have flaws. Learning to accept ourselves and others is where the love lies. No one said it was going to be easy.

Have fun. Kids get it. We should have more fun in our lives. Be a kid for a day. Let go of the normal—you’ll be amazed at how normal “not being normal” can feel. It’s priceless.

I’m not as smart as I think. Nothing more needs to be written on this.

People that love know things. Listen to them.

Invest in people currency. When we are kind, caring, loving, empathetic, honest, real, a good friend—it always returns in ways we cannot measure, though not always from the direction you expect.

Make good memories. Healthy relationships with friends, family and loved ones mean you get rewarded with a life filled with good vibrations. This makes for a much easier life and a ready collection of memories to lift your spirits every day.

Parenting is hard. The responsibility of parenting is preparing our children for the world. Allowing them to stand by themselves as they learn to be self-sufficient and ready to take their place in life is the hardest job I have ever had or will have (I still have a teen at home).

Do more of what feels good to your soul. Dance more. Smile more. Live more. Love more.

May your holidays be filled with joy, and may 2019 bring all you desire.

In peace, love and laughter,

Joe Dunne

publisher's letter
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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