Attitude of Gratitude With Thanksgiving  just around the corner, it seems appropriate to write about gratitude.  After all, we are featuring an article highlighting the many benefits of gratefulness, but that’s not the reason for my message.  It just so happens that  today...right at this moment...I’m feeling incredibly grateful. As a result of our loyal readers, our 630 contributing businesses that distribute throughout our three counties, and most of all the advertisers that make it possible to publish our magazine every month I want to say thank you and express my gratitude. Over the last year we have added, refined and diligently worked to improve our commitments to bring the best content, national as well as local, to our readers.   We have added a monthly column “Letters from Africa” written by my niece, who is serving as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda, Africa. The feedback has been terrific, and we will continue to share her reports throughout her two year tender.  This month we are introducing an “Ask Doctor Desai” column where you can receive professional advice regarding product labeling, substance, preservatives, other chemicals, etc. See the column on page 24. We have expanded our distribution and recently added six new major supermarket locations in Somerset County. Plus we will be seeking six more in both Hunterdon and Middlesex Counties in the near future. There is also much going on behind the scenes. Quite soon we hope to bring you phase one of our new web site. We aren’t there yet, but eventually it promises to be interactive for our readers and clients that enhance the experience and help keep us connected.  Although I have learned not to promise anything when it comes to web page development, I’m confident that most, if not all, of my dreams for this site will eventually come true. We are doing more to promote our advertisers in the social media market with postings of Community Spotlights and featured articles to our Facebook  pages.  We will also be linking our web pages to our advertisers. Furthermore we will soon be offering video promotion packages, which we will shoot and turn over to you for you web sites use, and linked to our directory of advertisers. Natural Awakenings is all about content, as we grew our fears were that our content would suffer.  So we are pleased to announce the new fifty six page (56) page Natural Awakenings of Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset Counties.  This is the first step to my goal of sixty four pages. One more note:  Nothing is better than getting our readers letters, testimonials (all good) emails, etc.  If you could tell us what you like, what you might want to see more of, how we could improve in any way it would be of great personal value to me.  Simply email me at [email protected]. Again, much thanks! I look forward to hearing from you. Have a very Happy Thanksgiving! Joe