What better month than February to focus on well-being? It’s cold, sometimes dreary, prone to snow, but the sprouts of spring bulbs push through the bare ground and, in some cases, are blooming already. And there’s Valentine’s Day to remind us of hearts that beat the rhythms of our lives and that ache at times with longing, love, grief, joy and sorrow—declarations that we are alive, that we are human, that we are connected.
Gina Malone, Editor
As we consider health and wellness on these pages, we can offer only a shaving from that proverbial iceberg whose tip is all we ever discover. The fields of health and wellness encompass vast opportunities for personal exploration. And at a time when good information about health, both mental and physical, is hard to find, we’re all better off for the extra effort we put into finding the most trustworthy people, products and services to move us in the right directions.
Organic Bodyworkx, in Sylva, offers natural and organic products for every facet of a family’s well-being, right down to pets. At West Asheville Aesthetics & Wellness, a team of professionals guides clients in the right direction for looking and feeling more like themselves. And, if it’s more movement you’re seeking, Wortham Center for the Performing Arts offers a range of yoga and dance classes for every level.
Our Spotlight this month falls on Resources for Resilience, a nonprofit dedicated to helping Western North Carolina residents find ways of managing the difficult parts of being a human including not only grief, stress and trauma but the everyday stresses common to us all. The organization’s executive director, Ann DuPre Rogers, says this about mental well-being: “It’s something you invest in regularly, so you have skills you can draw on any day, anywhere.” Check out Jackson County’s two trails certified by the Association of Nature & Forest Therapy, places where Nature calms, soothes and restores as only She can. And read all about local production of nutritious—and native—elderberries.
It goes without saying—but I will anyway—that the arts and our own creative explorations bring much positivity and tranquility to our lives. That includes art and crafts exhibitions; musical, dance and dramatic performances; literature; and classes and workshops—the good things in life that we at The Laurel always strive to cover. Our Cover Artist, Raphaella Vaisseau, offers lovely wisdom about her own art—what it means to her and what she hopes it means to others.
Here’s wishing the best of health to you all as we move into this brand-new year!
Gina Malone can be reached at gina@thelaurelofasheville.com
