Why am I so adept at procrastination – to the point of doing dishes (not my favourite domestic task), when I could be writing. Connecting with you dear reader.

To be fair, the past month has been hectic.

For 2 weeks I was diverted by a 4000-word business award submission. Since then – LIFE. Sore hands, a key employee with COVID, weekends at the beach house, a day on a 4WD track, …. Excuses or reasons.

A friend once said an excuse is the skin of a reason stuffed with a lie. Which is confronting when I ponder writing.

I wonder – is there something that you love to do, or is important to you to do that you procrastinate on also?

There is a lot written these days about how easily people are distracted by social media, how scrolling through ‘socials’ can gobble up hours of precious time. I suspect, for you, my tribe this is less of an issue – perhaps because with maturity we understand that ‘connection’ via a device is a poor substitute for being in the presence of someone we love.

Down under in Australia, this weekend is sandwiched between Earth Day and a public holiday for ANZAC commemorations.

Earth Day was established in the USA in 1970, in 1990 it started to gain international traction. It’s always on April 22^nd, with the purpose of focusing attention of the health of our planet. As a healthcare practitioner passionate about tapping into the body’s innate ability to heal, I acknowledge that our health as individuals and that of our planet are inextricably intertwined. Last week I had the opportunity to tour a landfill facility with a friend who in her role as engineer has implemented some key improvements to the process of dealing with waste. What I learned there was both sobering and encouraging. Sobering to watch the trucks arriving with tonnes of household waste, encouraging to see how with consideration and effort the impact of this waste can be minimised.

Our bodies have an amazing capacity to detoxify harmful substances and process negative emotion however to do this effectively we need a healthy environment – both physically and emotionally. Spending time in nature, breathing pure air, slowing down, feeling the earth beneath our feet is one of the best remedies for stress or illness.

The 25^th April was officially named Anzac Day in 1916, a year after Australian and New Zealand soldiers, partnered in an allied expedition landed in Gallipoli. There was huge loss of young life which has never been forgotten. Now men and women who have lost their lives defending our freedom continue to be remembered in Anzac ceremonies across Australia and New Zealand.

Wherever you are, whatever this finds you engaged in may you find time to connect with nature, respecting our environment and finding healing in it. My weekend “sandwich” will be seasoned by a dip in the ocean, which is cooling off rapidly now that autumn is here!

May your day be filled with vitality,

Esyltt