I’m kind of a hippie.  I tell my Mom it’s her fault.  I mean, she named me April Rose, which sounds like some kind of air freshener.  It’s only a step above Spring Rain in my opinion, so she should have known.

I’ve been a hippie for a long time.  In seventh grade I was wearing bell bottoms and discussing the Vietnam War.  In seventh grade, it was 1997.  I guess you could say I had identity issues, but I related with the lifestyle.  I remember writing in a sixth grade journal that when I grew up I wanted to be comfortable.  A lot of the kids around me would prefer to be rich and successful, but I was searching for equilibrium.

Now I’m an adult, believe or not, and that spirit never left me.  I’ve always considered myself pretty green and natural, but it wasn’t until recent years that I started working on that actively.  In the last few months, I’ve begun to realize that the steps I was taking weren’t nearly enough.  I think I was looking at my actions compared to the actions of some of those around me.  I was doing better than a lot of them so that meant I was doing good enough.  As the natural living / green / whatever-you-want-to-call-it movement has been catching on, I’ve seen a lot of people start taking bigger steps and I’ve realized how small my steps have been.  More people are feeling responsible for the way we treat our environment, our neighbors and our bodies and I want to join them.

I am excited about the changes I’m making in my life and I want to share them with others.  I love reading other people’s blogs and seeing their great ideas.  I want to be able to participate in that community as more than an observer.  I’m so glad that Sarah has asked me to contribute to Simply Sunshine.  I’m excited to share fun crafts, recipes and resources as well as my frustrations and success on pursuing a more natural, sustainable life.

Thanks for sharing the journey with me!