it’s only natural

recently i’ve had the joy of spending more time than usual with some of my favorite people: the summer working near my sister, a weekend visit from my dearest friend, and extended hours in chef mandy’s kitchen. these are also people who share one very important priority with me – living naturally. this has had the unexpected side effect of generating delight and resentment in me at the same time, because for me, enjoying that shared priority ends when i walk in my own door.  in their homes i don’t have to compromise in that aspect, but in my own, it’s a daily battle.

take, for example, a typical outing with any of these friends. lunch might take place somewhere like The Earth Café. they serve what you might imagine from the name: cuisine that pleases the health-conscious, meat-avoiding, locally-supporting, environmentally responsible crowd. a group that i have alot of crossover with in my own preferences. i have only briefly commented on the value i place on health and natural eating, living, & healing, but it is something that has become ultra important to me as a result of personal experiences and thorough research.

i catapulted, rather than strolled, into this arena, because of my mother’s diagnosis and a desperation to find the best plan of attack. as a result, my escalation into all things anti- chemical/toxic/processed, and in many cases “normal” was too quick for some to keep up. including my husband. in this realm, where i insist on natural cleaners, organic produce, and holistic health practices, i have lost him. when i pull out the juicer or offer an essential oil rather than a drug, i might as well be a visitor from another planet. i know that many people who choose to make the changes i have take much slower steps, understandably, and i also recognize that i live in a region that has not been geared as much toward those things as other places. but i still pine for the life that is so much easier, where i prepare one meal option, not two. where i don’t have to justify shopping at the farmers market instead of the grocery superstore. where a suggestion for a healthy alternative doesn’t garner “you’re crazy” glances. where we can actually choose a restaurant without a compromise. i feel alienated for my avoidance of chemically laden products and drastic medicine as a first response to illness, despite striving to be balanced and flexible in my decisions.

i am actually luckier than some “granola” lone rangers i know – i share this choice of lifestyle with my immediate family and my closest friends. but my daily life is with my best friend and companion, and i want so terribly to be able to do life with him. i recognize that the “my way is the best” attitude is just wrong, and i would never want to try to change him …but i still wish that we saw eye to eye on this one. i’m sure he does, too. living with a health freak can be exhausting.