Day 28

One of the first photos I remember being taken of me was when I was three and sitting next to a compost pile that was twice my size. My dad was publisher of Organic Gardening magazine in the '70s, and we had a big garden in the back of our house. I also remember having to eat the all-natural peanut butter that separated in the jar into what I was sure was oil and paste while I whined and pined for Skippy. Even though I tended to eat pretty mindlessly after that as the years went by, I'm grateful that my parents gave me that early gift as part of my food DNA. Healthier stuff just tastes better to me now.

I'm still trying to overcome an overcharged craving for sugary stuff (the result of no longer putting other, more harmful stuff into my body), but I mostly find that health-conscious choices are their own reward. The "keeping it green" image that I've referred to this month is not just a metaphor for me.

My family is blessed to be in a position where we can afford to pay a little more at our local Co-op for foods that favor local and organic production methods and cause less cruelty to animals and harm to the planet. In mindfulness, I become more aware of choices I make, and I choose to spend my money at a place that supports my values. There's no perfectionism in this for me; it is an aspiration. As my mind becomes less cluttered, I cast less clutter into the world around me.

As this Spiritual Spring Cleaning practice winds down, what are some of the ways that you'll continue to keep it green--in habits of body, mind and Spirit?

(photo courtesy of Joi)